Plei has actually found wheat-free noms that I keep in the pantry now. She did have to wrest a cupcake from my grasp and nudge me toward the just-for-me wheatless cake on one occasion, but the cake was surprisingly delicious!

Oh my god -- friends cooked us dinner Saturday night, and K. (the wife and cook) asked the day before about whether I can have any gluten or not, and I told her my standard of "Some is generally fine, and if it's a very yummy gluten-y thing, I'll probably eat it and deal with the consequences, but I'm doing it fully aware that I'm eating gluten."

So we showed up and she had made shepherd's pie (potatoes, corn, meat -- no gluten there), string beans (ditto), and had bought gluten-free brownies. And not just a couple, but, like, 20 brownies (they came in individual servings).

I was REALLY touched by how thoughtful she was, and expressed it by eating as many brownies as I could fit in my mouth.

I had a houseguest (Carole Blymire, Nora!) in July who has Celiacs and it was actually kind of fun to figure out what to have on hand for her. We ended up eating really well (thanks to her doing all of the cooking - I got a little taste of what Jilli and Pete got when they had their friend the nutritionist living with them!) and I surprised her by having Bob's Red Mill gluten-free steelcut oatmeal AND some Mrs May's snacks.

Trader Joe's really has an impressive list of gluten-free foods (including new soft-baked snickerdoodles that are awesome).

e ended up eating really well (thanks to her doing all of the cooking - I got a little taste of what Jilli and Pete got when they had their friend the nutritionist living with them!)

I would so lower the rent to have a housemate who was a nutritionist, cooking for me. Or even just a yummy healthy cook.

Steph, Ouise gave me this incredible recipe for gluten-free cookies that taste a lot chewy brownies. I can post it if you want.

I wish you could go up to strangers and tuck in their labels. On the other hand, do that to me and I will kll you. Also there should be a no-shame code for "lipstick on your teeth."

Sue, you could post it for me! puppy eyes

Zen, here you go

Chocolate Melting Kisses

8 squares BAKER'S Bittersweet chocolate
2 tbsp (30 ml) Butter
1-1/4 cups (300 ml) ground almonds
2 eggs
3/4 cup (175 ml) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) icing sugar

1. Heat chocolate, stirring often, over barely simmering water in double boiler (or microwave on Medium until semi-melted). Stir in butter until smooth. Stir in almonds and let cool to room temperature.

2. Using electric mixer, beat eggs with sugar util thick and fluffy. Fold in chocolate mixture. Chill until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.

3. With icing sugar-coated hands, shape dough into 1-inch (2 cm) balls; roll in icing sugar until thickly coated. Palce at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart on parchment-lined orwell-buttered baking sheet. Chill for 10 minutes.

4. Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until cracked and slightly raised. Remove pan to cooling rack; let cookies cool completely on pan. Store in airtight container. Makes about 4 dozen.

Fooooooootbaaaaaaaallllll!

Happy Birthday Sue!!

I'm back home. My Yosemite pictures are here. I have a couple of pictures from Lee's birthday here, friends-locked.

Holy crap, that was a way to start a game.

Chocolate Melting Kisses

Oh my god, I am making these! Thank you!