Some of the best cookies ever!

I just got back from my weekly grocery shopping excursion and I found a "new" product stocked on the shelf. I'm not sure if it's a new product all together, or just new to my store, but I thought I'd pick up a package and give them a try. They are Pamela's Simplebites Mini Ginger Snapz (click on simplebites). So delicious! You definitely need to have will power to only eat a couple and then put the package away for another time. If you enjoy ginger snaps, these are probably the closest I've tasted to "regular" ginger snaps. Super yummy!

Homemade Split Pea Soup

I must admit, I was a bit intimidated to make pea soup from scratch. I've never done it before. I know my mom has made it before and it really is good. But, we had some left-over ham and I thought I'd give it a try. It's turned out quite well. So, I'm sure I'll make it again at some point.

Ingredients:
1 package gluten-free split peas (16 oz.)
6-7 cups water
ham, cubed
ham bone
4 carrots, cut and diced
4 celery stalks, cut and diced
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Prepare peas per package directions (some say to rinse and soak them first, other brands don't require soaking, but only rinsing). Mine, I rinsed well, removed any pea shells, and then just added to my water. I simmered them on medium heat in a large pot for about 45 minutes until they started getting soft.

2. Add carrots, celery, onion, cubed ham, ham bone, and pepper. Let simmer at medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Remove ham bone.

3. From there, I transferred the soup from the pot on the stove to my crock pot and set it on high for about 2 hours and then reduced to low. You can also just keep this on your stove on low for several hours until peas get very soft. Stir occasionally.

4. Stir before serving. Pea Soup freezes well, if you have left overs.

This recipe makes about 6 servings.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:
1 (26 ounce) jar gluten-free spaghetti sauce
1 can (14 oz) plain diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or we used Monterey Jack cheese and that worked well)
1 package (16 oz) Tinkyada Penne Pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (you can use fresh or Kraft is gluten-free)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Boil pasta according to package directions, drain.
3. Mix together in a large mixing bowl: sauce, tomatoes, 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Pour sauce mixture over pasta and mix until pasta is coated. Pour into 9x13 inch baking dish.
4. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and Parmesan Cheese over top. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot.

Wegmans Grocery Store Chain

I know that this doesn't help the majority of the world, but if you happen to live near a Wegmans grocery store, they are wonderful with their gluten-free selections and labeling of their mainstream products that are gluten-free. Wegmans has locations in NY, PA, MD, NJ, VA and locations coming to MA. Here's a list from their website of all of their "Wegmans Brand" products that are gluten-free.

Hopefully this will be of some help to those who live nearby a Wegmans grocery store chain.

Another Yummy Nut Thin Snack

I'm sure this is not the most healthy of snacks, but I've been taking Almond Nut Thins (or you could use any rice cracker) and spreading cream cheese (Philadelphia - plain cream cheese is gluten-free...it it a Kraft product) on top. Perhaps I'm a little crazy for really loving this combo, but I shared some with my daughter and she thought they were equally as yummy. She was disappointed when the cream cheese ran out. But, I have just returned from the grocery store with a new container of cream cheese and a fresh box of Nut Thins. We can go back to our snacking now.

Gluten-free Soup

My daughter and I just sampled some soups from Kettle Cuisine that just showed up in our grocery store's gluten-free freezer section. My daughter tried the "Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles" and I tried the "Angus Beef Steak Chili with Beans." We give those two varieties two thumbs up (I did get a chance to sample the chicken soup, but my daughter didn't want to try the chili, since she's not a fan of beans).

Kettle Cuisine has a few other varieties of soup that I'm sure are equally as delicious. I just wanted to be sure to share this brand, since we found them to be quite yummy. The portion sizes are probably just the right size for a lunch and can be microwaved right out of the box in the bowl it comes in. It was probably a bit small of a portion to be eaten alone as a dinner meal, so perhaps serve with a gluten-free sandwich.

Yummy Snack

I'm just starting out the gluten-free diet myself (my daughter has been gluten-free for nearly a year and a half now) and was looking for a snack for myself that would meet my need to "crunch" and still be gluten-free and yummy.

I bought some of Blue Diamond's Almond NutThins, sliced some Muenster Cheese on top of the crackers, popped the plate of cheese crackers in the microwave for 10 seconds until the cheese was bubbling and enjoyed. Crunchy, salty, cheesy. YUM!