Happy Fat Tuesday!

Happy Fat Tuesday!
This is turning into a holiday blog, which was not the intent. I thought I’d be on here every few days or so, BUT, life is so grand!
Thanks for all your payers. Keep them going, we are really seeing business pick up, and although we did not accept the spot at the Winter Farmer’s Market in Brattleboro, it felt good to be able to say, “No thanks, that just doesn’t fit with where we are going.”
It seemed to be a lovely venue, and of course, we will be supporting the locals in every way possible, just not the right fit for us.
Okay, Fat Tuesday? What’s this?  It is the day before the season of Lent begins, a day of indulging before the 40 days of Lenten Observance. This is not something I personally adhere to, but any excuse to make donuts.
So, today, to bring smiles to all those I hold so dear at the little School our daughter attends, I brought in fresh beignet. Gorgeous!
Delicate little puffs of eggy, fluffy goodness drizzled with glaze.
Hey, if you’re going to be up at 3a.m., make it worth it, right? Wait ‘til you see these photos!
We did have a film made so you all could take a look into our kitchen. We also had a photographer come in, to take some photos. All the set up takes time. The next thing we need to barter for is web design help… I think I’m Steve Jobs when I can change the font without getting my 6th grader involved.
The flour blends and mixes are taking off like crazy. It is so fun to drop the samples in the mail, or at a co op, knowing it will bless someone to have something they’d have thought impossible.
Okay, here’s the real stuff. I am really seeing the Hand of God in my life of late.
Ever had one of those seasons when everything you hear or see, on the radio, in conversation, on billboards, seems like a beckoning from somewhere, pulling you into some new awareness.
In the past few years, my husband and I have been seeing our relationship with each other and with God solidify, reach levels we’d never have thought possible.
A year ago, when we went through one of those time splitting events, where nothing is quite the same again and you begin to measure time against it. We sat stunned, totally at peace, even while steeping in the adrenaline and chaos of the E.R.
Although unable to verbalize any of this, in the moment, simply making eye contact confirmed we were feeling the same thing. A deep inexplicable calm.
We had arrived! We were friends of God! We brought Him with us into that hospital and the joy spilled out onto everyone. We were absolutely effervescent. It was a delicious place to be, cradled in the womb of His perfect love in the midst of the unknown.
Oh, silly sophomoric woman.
The year following ‘the big event’ has repeatedly brought me to my knees, and my husband to his. It seems as though our Loving Father has tugged gently, albeit insistently, on the things to which I cling while claiming Him alone as my hope and salvation.
Take a minute to read here: http://www.motivateus.com/stories/pearls.htm… you may need to cut and paste… really needing that web help.
Perhaps, you have heard variations of this, maybe too may times, but for me, there is a never ending strand of junk I deem shiny, or pretty, or I think earns me a higher status in my social circle, but it is really just more junk to keep my hands full, unable to receive the genuine pearls He holds, tenderly, insistently asking me to give all to Love Him, not knowing what he will fill my emptied heart and hands with, but trusting His perfect plan.
I think of my sacrifice and pain, as so great, the loss of financial security, a dear friend dying suddenly, the pain of living in an imperfect body with so much healing still to do, people unexpectedly lashing out, wounding, disappointing…
Where is my comfort, who is my shelter, my haven in times of despair?
About 15 years ago, I realized I was living within the walls of fears, which may have served me at one time, but had become the core beliefs now holding me in a small life. You know what I’m talking about, I’m sure.
The process, once begun became a life journey, as one by one, or sometimes, section by section, I have been able to separate belief from reality, necessity from preference, leaving me, always, with a sense of bewilderment, baffled at how strongly I held to a given paradigm, and how tenderly, or eek, suddenly, blinders are lifted, letting the light come in, illuminating the freedom available as an alternative to my white knuckled tendencies.
Back to a decade and a half ago… I was terrified of several things; snakes and heights topped the list, though as most annoying. These had bumped up into the realm of phobias. So, I partnered up with a crazy rock climber, who refused to take my fear of heights seriously. It was like someone looked under the bed and said, “Nope, no boogie man here!” with a bit of an eye roll. Without giving me the chance to rethink my decision to beat this once and for all, a team of experts began strapping a harness, rope and carabineer to me, giving my stunned brain the bare essential instructions and safety precautions.
Before I could fully conceive of what I was about to do, I was scrambling my circa 1990’s spandex clad rump up a 40-50 ft wall. This was the girl who couldn’t stand a stool (no exaggeration), grabbing, stepping, and pulling myself up the wall. Terrified, but to the point of exhilaration, not petrification.
  I never froze up.
I just kept going.
That was my only job my ‘coach’ kept reminding me, he was, after all, on belay, if something gave out, or I missed a step, he would be ready to slow my fall, cushion me, keep me from real harm.
Now, watching the real life scaries rear their heads, the big and little tragedies and what if’s of life that can freeze me to the spot, am I going to relax, knowing He’s on belay? Will I just keep moving forward? -Know the fear is there and just look for the next grab or hold?
Isn’t this the key?
My friend who died last week, I still have books I borrowed from her years ago, always encouraged me to write, although she was quite brilliant, published, and in a writer’s group, she reached out to me, nudged me toward letting the music out.
If it weren’t for her, I’d not be writing. If not for her courage, I may not be doing any of what I do. Courage truly is contagious. Let yours spill onto someone today. You never know whose life it will change.
Thank you JDM. You were a mother to so many hurting souls even as your heart broke daily. You will be missed.

Valentine's Day!

                                            

  For those of you who have been asking about GF/CF cut out cookies, I hope to post pic’s of our latest creations, soon.
  Sometimes, it all falls to the room mom to pull together something for a given class party; in this case the pink and red holiday of hearts and hugs.
 So yesterday, as our dear daughter recuperated from her basketball tournament and the masochistic tradition of the no sleep sleepover which always follows, I made 40 nice big cutout cookies, (heart shaped,of course), a huge tub of frosting and two batches of royal icing!
 I love that at 11 and 12 years old, these kids aren’t too cool to have a cookie-decorating contest. It is a small school, it seems like there is less pressure for all of them to grow up fast, it’s nice.
 So, what’s on the menu for Dana B’s home tonight?
 Traditionally, we have a bright, red dinner,
I think tonight ought to look like this:
- Dark red grapes, deep black caviar, and black rice crackers.
 -Fillet Mignon, grilled after the snow is cleared form the deck… thanks, Honey
 -Big Salad with lots of red leaf lettuce, deep red apples, cranberries and spicy sweet walnuts, I make these a day ahead, for a nice alternative to croutons.
 -Jasmine and Sage Rice, perfect with black sesame seeds, for those who can tolerate them
 And, of course a decadent chocolaty dessert with lots of layers that just flow out with each stab of the fork.
 -This means a triple layer brownie cake, layered with just fruit raspberry jam, dairy free ganache, served with a dollop of whipped coconut milk laced with the heat of fresh ginger root.
  I should be embarrassed, perhaps, at such a seductive indulgence, but it’s once a year. So, I will push ahead sans blushed hue.
 _This is the first year in many I will not be coating hundreds of strawberries in chocolate, but that is always a quick, romantic dessert.
 It’s possible to make a festive, colorful Valentine Dinner, without food coloring, gluten, dairy, or anything prepackaged.

Dana B’s Cutout Cookies Recipe:
1 C GF/CF/SF butter alternative, softened.
    We use soy free Earth Balance,
     From Nature’s Green Grocer
Whip in:
1 C Evaporated Cane Juice
When Fluffy Add:
2 eggs,
1tsp vanilla,
½ tsp Sea Salt
In Separate Bowl, or Sifter, Blend:
½ tsp Baking Powder
2 ½ c Dana B’s GF Blend,
Blend well, remember, you are GF now, so there is no worry about over beating and upsetting the gluten.
 Scrape down sides of bowl, form a ball if you can,
You will now set it all in the fridge until it’s a nice texture to work with, not hard, but not too sticky.
Then simply lay out your silpat mat, or a few sheets of wax paper, sprinkle liberally with more DB’s GF Blend, and more evaporated cane juice, enough to coat each side.
Begin to roll out the ball, gently, flip dough a few times during rolling, adding more DB’s GF and ‘sugar’ as needed.

When it’s all the desired thickness, I like’em pretty thick,  (1/8 -1/4) in
get out those cookie cutters you’ve been gazing longingly at since Thanksgiving passed,
and cut, cut, cut!

Throw scraps back in the bowl as you go.
 At this point, I lift each little shape with a metal spatula; they have such a lovely edge, right onto parchment lined cookie sheets.
 Still nervous?
 Don’t be!
 You can do this.
 Still trepidatious? Set the sheet in the ‘fridge for twenty minutes or so, take some deep breaths, set that oven to 375, and get ready for the bliss of a quiet afternoon spent glossing your golden gifts with decorative icings.
 I like to set the oven timer to about half the time for recommended bake time, so I remember to swivel the pan, and just check on everything.
 Depending on the shape, size and thickness of your soon-to-be cookies, they will need to bake for 5-15 minutes, experiment. We like crisp edges with a bit of chewiness toward the center.
 Also remember; store all GF goodies in the freezer if you aren’t going to eat them all today, which I definitely do not recommend!
 If you’re not sure why you need to freeze’em, write and ask…I gotta get back to my oven mitts!

 This recipe was adapted from a vintage Fanny Farmer Cookbook

Whirlwinds and Wonders

 So, the biddings of ‘Happy New Year’ have long faded into the past, and another month has gone by without a fresh blog from our little bakery.

 Thank you all for the fantastic feedback on the samples, keep those addresses coming in, as there are more surprises in the works.

What is the one thing you have all been just pining for? The one thing that would make you just weak in the knees to be able to saunter up to the deli counter to order? A sandwich you say? A lovely warm bit of crusty bread next to your steaming cup of minestrone?

 In all the time I have been baking, I have not developed a love of the quintessential bakery staple. The loaf.

 Ah, yes, I was content for a time to churn out Toll House Cookies, muffins, even eclairs and benet and tiny cheddar crackers… I was fooling myself, and my muse wasn’t buying it.

 He grew up in Buffalo, home of not just the wings of fame and lore, but the Beef on Weck.  If you have not had this, you are really missing out and if you have, you remember it well. I remember just where I was standing when I took my first bite, at my brother- in- law’s wedding reception… a casual affair on a lovely golf course just outside Buffalo. A beautiful, romantic day spent dancing with my husband and daughter as the sun began to set over the gentle mounds of green which rolled way into the horizon.

 I also remember just where I was standing when my dearest shared his longing for that sandwich. His eyes were sparkling like a four- year- old in front of the FAO Shwartz on Christmas eve (this is nearly always the light that dawns just as some culinary inspiration strikes). The setting was slightly less romantic… the deli case at the local grocer.

 There is something you should know about my dearest. He thinks I am amazing, perhaps even magical. He truly believes I can still be something. No, he sincerely believes I AM something. Therefore, there is no question In his mind that when he shares a craving or whim for something, long taken away by celiac, that I will, on first attempt, nail it.

 This fills me simultaneously with such elation and terror, that I cannot fully explain it. So I stand close to him, believing I can soak up some of that confidence he has in my abilities, and try not to dash his hopes with piddly little things like physics and reality.

 Reminiscent of the bumper sticker “I just want to be the person my dog thinks I am”. Commence sarcastic eye roll here, if you need, but really he is just such an elfin creature, brimming with sunshine and optimism.

 Back home now, with kosher salt, lovely, fragrant caraway seeds, fresh yeast, beautiful roast beef, and a rising fear, the one that always accompanies me into the valley of the unknown.

 Although, honestly, as with anything scary, procrastination is an inviting alternative to diligence, right? So, I slept on it, poorly.

 The solution? The result?

 Focaccia! I would simply adapt the pizza crust recipe we already love, and make focaccia, half a batch, though, just in case it’s terrible…

 Measure, mix, pour, let it rise; lay on an absolute burden of salt and seeds. Bake it, with fingers crossed, actually a sincere prayer.

 Viola! - A gorgeous beef on weck to warm us on the latest snow day.

 The lovely, indulgent thing about focaccia is it gets a bit fried about the edges, so you feel as if you are really having something bad, but with grape seed oil… just enough to keep it all from sticking, it is just the hint of crispy without going all the way to fairway fried dough (which I will tell you all about another time).

 This gave way to a new obsession. The French Crullers are set aside, and I have now made, in less than a week, three batches of the stuff, one for a fundraiser at our daughter’s school, and the latest, a big double batch, which sit in our freezer now.

 Since good bread seems to be the one continually illusory staple in the celiac safe arsenal; as is so often the case, my response may seem over rated, and for someone who can just march down to the local mom and pop to get a loaded bagel or sub, the occasional tear swept away before it even has a chance to glisten on the check would be a certain melodramatic gesture, but for those of us who endeavor to enjoy what we used to love without doubling over in pain, or being consumed with brain fog… without losing life as we now know it, for us to bite into something wonderful and fresh and warm and SAFE, is just this side of miraculous.

 Thank you dear, for your faith in me, it has pushed me to try things I knew were impossible.

Bring it on, world!

 Readers, tell me what you miss, I would love to include you in this journey, and walk you through the how to, with me.

You can do this.

The samples have been a huge hit.

Stay tuned for new features and keep us in prayer, that we seek the Lord above all.

May This Be The Most Blessed New Year Yet!

First, confessions…

If ignorance is bliss…

 Okay, I have been poking around in the blogosphere, which, (blush, blush) I don’t think I’ve ever done before.

 For shame! -Asking all of you dears to pull back a corner of my life and peek in, while I just blindly bumble around the www.’s looking for just what I need.

Okay, so I guess it never really occurred to me that there may be something of interest in this little life of car pooling, momming, writing, hoping, praying.

 Now, having tip toed through the brain fruit of some of the brilliant bloggers out there, and you must know who you are, I have to say, I feel this is just a little yellow sticky note when held up to compare, so I will not. I will just do the things I cannot stop, baking and writing.

Since I was just a bit of a thing, maybe as soon as I could connect letters with sounds, I have seen the world in words, each conversation tumbles into space in written words.

 Does that make me a writer? I don’t know, but I don’t know how not to write. So I will write.

 And I will cook and bake for my family and whomever stops by, or seems to need a lift, or a gluten free version of an old favorite.

 I will do what I love, what would not stop anyway, and I invite you along for the ride.

 All I humbly ask is that you laugh with me as a err, and rejoice in the triumphs, and spread the joy of a life lived truly free.

Thank you dear ones, your interest, encouragement, are sincerely appreciated.

 

What A Blessed New Year!

    We started off the New Year With a quiet little game of Scrabble!

Ah, the aroma of warm cookies wafts through our lives (You can't catch me I'm the GIngerbread ...blob?)

My dear husband, as do many of us, considers crisp cut out cookies with royal icing, to be the quintessential  Christmas treat. 


Now, I've been baking GF long enough to know that without the tension of gluten, (which, he refers to as the re-bar of the baking world) the fantasy of little stars, flowers, bells and stockings, lightly browned on the edges, golden in the middle, remains just that, a fantasy. 


 Here's what happened, while he was at work, on Saturday, I was spending what he was making...


 Armed with my list and budget, I was determined to stay on track, no impulse shopping for me. 


 But then I found myself in a local craft store and there was a cookie press. I knew it wouldn't work for GF, but I thought it would be a fun way for our daughter to achieve uniform size and shape, take a break from the ice cream scoop method... and it was on sale... Surely I can deviate $6. 


 This led to another deviation. The box had a recipe on it, for classic Spritz cookies. 
LIghtly sweet, buttery, Spritz. 

 I tossed the groceries into the fridge and cabinets, and pulled out my jars and bowls, washed the press, creamed some butter, after gasping at the amount required...nearly a pound! 

 I didn't even bother to cross my fingers, I just gleefully clicked out shapes onto the unlined sheet ( another 1st for me, being a parchment addict), the shapes were so lovely, little trees first, then wreathes, flowers, hearts. I was a little sad to think of them spreading and oozing in the oven, but I popped them in, and sat at the oven door, watching for the melt down (hey, it's cold, and we have no tv) nothing happened.

 I got up, started filling the next sheet up with more hearts and mini 'milano' shapes, all the while keeping a bewildered eye on the first little gems. 

 The timer went off, and behold, perfectly golden little pressed cookies, every detail was perfect. 


 Maybe hypoglycemia had taken hold, maybe it is just the general holiday stress that got to me, I teared right up. 


 I like to think it was just the simple joy of a culinary miracle. I pulled hundreds of them from the oven before realizing I should share the joy with hubby. I set the whole project aside, and set about tidying up.


  Now, the other request, from our littlest, who's now a tweener, GIngerbread People...no way, all that work, rolling, cutting, transferring without dismemberment or decapitation, just to watch science-fictionesque carnage. 

 It was all too gruesome, so, it has sat at procrastination  station for, eeww, since last Christmas... Sorry, dear little Y...

 Yesterday, she was going to be heading home, after a weekend across the river, and I thought, she'll never know if I blew it, I'll just cut the shapes out after I've baked a sheet, I crumble the evidence and make it a crust for pumpkin cheesecake, I'll, I'll... 


 I'll try!


  I boiled the molasses, blended the dries, added a little fresh black pepper, to spice up the vintage Fanny Farmer recipe, and with a swirl of futility and child like optimism slugging it out in my head, I cut out five medium sized Gingerpeople, apologized, crossed my fingers and popped them in the oven. 
  
 This time I could not watch, but I did peek now and then. 


 They began to gloss, they began to puff, the sugar on them began to gleam, but they never lost their shape. I could hardly wait to get them onto the cooling wrack. Perfect little GIngerpeople, bigs, and littles. Gorgeous. Tender centers, crisp edges, how can this be? 


 I need to barter with a photographer, it really isn't fair to you, or these cookies, to simply describe them, you've got to see them!
  
 In the meantime, let me tell you this, 


 The fam was wowed. I had filled their requests, complete with crunchy royal icing!

This may be the answer

Hello all,

Whew!

It's been so long. There is just too much to catch up on all at once.

It would just end up sounding like the 12 days of Christmas!

Time for good news bad news:

Bad news first...

Dana B is no business woman. The baking and creating was so much fun, until I was doing it 14 hours a day. All of a sudden, I was acutely aware of every candle on the cake, so to speak.

The good news...

You're going to love what I have been working on! Really.

Ever tried something gluten free, and it was so good, you had to double check, make sure the baker really understood what gluten free meant?

The question I have gotten more than any other, is this,

"What flours do you use?"

Going GF has never been simpler. I've been giving out samples of my exclusive flour blend, mostly to GF newbies, and traditional bakers.

The reviews are in.

"Better than traditional pancakes, far better, they consistently come out fluffy and light, excellent!"

Finally, be gluten free, and free of adding binders and gums, just replace DB's GF exclusive blend, cup for cup in nearly any favorite recipe.

Here is just a partial list of things we've tried in our home kitchen,

Classic Pecan Pie

Apple Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Old Fashioned Toll House Cookies

Muffins, Muffins, Muffins!

Double Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Shortbreads

Scones

Our Own Famous Scon Bons ( teeny scones, drizzled with layers of chocolate, cinnamon, peppermint, etc)

Spiced Oatmeal Cookies

Would you believe...

Donuts?

Even

Authentic Eclairs! ( a personal must have )

Hamburger buns

Pizza Crust

Bread Sticks

Cheese Crackers ( Oh, how we missed those little golden fishes!)

Fried Chicken, yup!

Seriously, I am working my way through a vintage Fanny Farmer cook book, that's the only cook book we even own!

No more special cook books, no more hit or miss figuring with gums and binders, it's time to enjoy being Gluten Free!

Don't Just get Gluten Free,

Get truly Free!

To find out how you can receive  your sample of either 1 Sunday Best Pancake Mix, or a two cup sample of our exclusive flour blend ( I like to refer to it as my 'bouquet of flours') please send your request to Danabsglutenfree@hotmail.com.

 This is limited to the first 100 requests... don't be left out!

John 8:36

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.