tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27561254102388917362024-02-07T03:31:38.841-08:00DeAnn's DelightsHome to Gluten and Dairy Free recipes, reviews of products that are GFCF and just general information that I feel like sharing.DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.comBlogger395125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-15092962664397845102013-08-24T19:32:00.000-07:002013-08-24T19:32:55.868-07:00Purex Fels-Naptha Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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First of all, if you are anything like me, you've never heard of this product. I guess it's been around for many, many years, but it was new to me. I am, personally the queen of spills and stains on clothing, so when the opportunity to try a new stain remover came up, I jumped at the opportunity!<br />
Normally, I use Shout Advanced Spray (which I LOVE), but I gave the bar a try. I have to say, I'm not sure I'm sold on the bar (probably because it's easy for me to forget about or misplace since it's small). I don't think the Fels-Naptha bar will become my go to stain remover.<br />
I do have something I want to try in the future with the Fels-Naptha bar. A friend posted this <a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm" target="_blank">laundry recipe</a> on her Facebook page last week and I was surprised to see that it uses the Fels-Naptha bar. I can't wait to try it out!<br />
<br />DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-60429969588462670922013-05-17T16:26:00.001-07:002013-05-17T16:26:30.531-07:00Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have a new product to review today (thanks to Purex Insiders). I received a full size pack of the Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care cleaner. If you're like me, the toilet is really the last thing you want to clean, but it's probably the thing in the house that needs to get cleaned the most!<br />
I was excited to try this product out and see just how it worked and compared to other toilet cleaners I've used before. I put it on the toilet myself, didn't require any assistance, so that was a good thing. It kept the bowl pretty clean for the one month that it was supposed to last. I've had some other cleaners that probably kept the bowl a little bit cleaner, but it wasn't a huge difference between the two.<br />
What didn't we like? The smell. Even my husband complained about the smell (and he doesn't usually complain about that stuff). The first couple of weeks after putting this on the toilet bowl, the bathroom smelled rather "chemically" which was not pleasant. The smell was so strong that I doubt we would use this particular variety again. Perhaps a different scent or if they came out with an unscented one, we'd definitely try an unscented one. For now though, I suppose it's back to scrubbing the old fashioned way for us.<br />
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Disclaimer: I received a free Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care package to try in my home in exchange for a review of the product with my honest opinion. All opinions here are strictly my own.<br />
<br />DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-78837010035978080232013-04-16T23:21:00.000-07:002013-04-16T23:21:59.364-07:00Time4Learning ReviewSo, as you may recall, we were trying out the online curriculum from Time4Learning. We tested the material for one month free of charge (in exchange for an honest review). After our trial period, we found that it was not a good fit for us. The curriculum is pretty good, just not a fit. I'll break it down in the pros and cons of the program.<br /><b>Pros:</b><br />Lots of resources<br />Easy tracking and grading of lessons<br />Lots of parent tools<br />Ready for you lesson plans<br />Can be used as curriculum or support lessons<br />Online access<br />
You can start and stop whenever you choose<br /><br /><b>Cons:</b><br />Cost - $19.95 a month (not a horrible price, but if you only use a little bit of the curriculum for support lessons, then the price is a little high)<br />Science curriculum is secular, not Christian - this really bugged my son<br />Online access (I know, I listed this as a pro, it's both really) I can be bad about remembering to log in to things online, certainly not Time4Learning's fault, just a reality for our family. Plus, my son really missed physical books to hold and expressed that preference to me.<br /><br />So, my overall opinion of Time4Learning is that it seems to be a solid curriculum. It is not a Christian or Biblical based curriculum, which is more in line with what we teach in our home. There are a lot of things to see and do at their site (I don't think I even got to half of it). Even though there are several things that I really like about Time4Learning, it isn't the right fit for our family. My son just did not embrace the idea of doing school online. I want to thank Time4Learning for the opportunity to try out their program and I would recommend you look around their site and see what they offer, it might be a great fit for your family!<br /><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/">http://www.Time4Learning.com</a> - Online interactive curriculum for home use, PreK-8th GradeDeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-16733057350030210272013-04-11T03:01:00.000-07:002013-04-11T04:25:27.063-07:00Dial Kids Body Wash Review - Watery Melon scent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My son loves that I review products and test them out with our family. So, you can imagine how excited he was when I asked him if he would like to try out a kids product for me and give me his honest opinion!</div>
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We received a bottle of the ages 6 and up <a href="http://www.dialsoap.com/products/ages-6-watery-melon-body-hair-wash" target="_blank">Watery Melon Dial Kids body + hair wash</a>. It didn't take much to convince my son to try it out the same night our bottle arrived, he was so excited (which is saying a lot for a preteen boy - he usually thinks being sent to take a shower is some sort of torture)! After his shower, I asked him what he thought about the body wash. He told me that he thought the Dial kids body wash got him "cleaner" than his other bath products. I asked him what that meant and we finally got to the meaning...my son thinks Dial Kids Body Wash rinses off much better than other products that he has used! He also told me he loved the scent. I have to agree, the Watery Melon smells great! Some products smell a little "girly" for a preteen boy, but not this one. It smells fresh and clean and it isn't overpowering.</div>
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Both my son and I give this product a big thumbs up! We will definitely be buying this product as soon as we run out of the original bottle. So, what are you waiting for, grab some Dial Kids body wash today! Your kids will thank you!</div>
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All the opinions expressed here are my own (and my son's). I was given a bottle of Dial Kids Body + Hair Wash from Purex Insiders to test and review.</div>
<br />DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-73033870105796749042013-03-20T22:58:00.000-07:002013-03-20T23:00:46.212-07:00Dial Coconut Water Body Wash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have I ever told you that I love body wash? I LOVE body wash! Really, I do! I don't believe I've used soap for a shower by choice since the day I discovered body wash many eons ago. In college, one of my favorite stores was Bath & Body Works. I loved them then. I try to love them now, but they've changed and it's just not the same. So, I must seek my body wash joy elsewhere.<br />
Imagine my delight when I saw an email come in from the Purex Insiders announcing that I could sign up to try their new coconut body wash. I signed up immediately and got extremely excited to find the box on my doorstep. I'm pretty sure the box was calling my name and begging me to take a shower so I could try it (what? you weren't there...it coulda happened).<br />
So, I tried the body wash after reading all the good things it was supposed to do. It said it would make my skin feel soft...yep, that was a true statement. It said that it would rinse off well and not leave a lot of residue...pretty sure that's a big yes! I don't remember all the other things it was supposed to do, but overall it did a great job. My skin felt soft and smooth. Now, I just need it to be available in a huge array of scents starting with peach!<br />
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Legal Mumbo Jumbo: I received a bottle of Dial Coconut Body Wash for FREE in exchange for an honest review of the product. All opinions stated here are my own.DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-4699311471293426862013-03-20T22:39:00.000-07:002013-03-20T23:00:35.928-07:00Purex with Crystals Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is my latest Purex product to take for a test drive at my house. As a Purex Insider member, they've been keeping me busy lately trying out new products. Stay tuned for a review of Dial's new coconut water body wash and later, Dial's new kids body wash/shampoo!<br />
So, in case you didn't know, my usual detergent is Tide with Bleach (although for now I've switched to Purex with Oxi) and I use Snuggle fabric softener. I love the way my clothes look and smell with my usual products! However, I am always happy to try new products and see if they work as well or maybe better.<br />
I put Purex with Crystals to the test this past weekend. We were behind in doing laundry (I know you're shocked, but it's okay - everyone gets behind once in a while and if they don't, well, I don't want to know about it). The first load I tried with the Purex w/ Crystals was a load of white clothes (undershirts, socks, unmentionables, etc.). Everything came out super clean, no dull looking undershirts or socks and the biggest thing - NO STATIC CLING!!! None! Zip! Zero! Plus, it all smelled great, too!<br />
The second load was a load of jeans and dark shirts. Once again, the results were fabulous! Soft, great smelling clothes and no static cling (again). The only funny thing that happened was my husband saw me put the detergent in with the load of laundry and then start to close the lid and wondered why I wasn't putting in any fabric softener!<br />
So, I liked the Purex with Crystals. I'm not sure it would be the detergent I would switch to from my normal detergent, but I know it would be great to have my husband or son use this when they do laundry because fabric softener is usually what they forget! Overall, this does the job well and smells great!<br />
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Now for the legal mumbo jumbo:<br />
I received a bottle of Purex with Crystals from Purex for the sole purpose of trying out their product and then writing an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own and if you want to form your own opinion of Purex with Crystals - go to the store and get it - it's a great product and priced affordably!<br />
<br />DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-30735559316058111402013-03-12T12:44:00.000-07:002013-03-12T12:44:09.003-07:00A New Homeschooling Review: Coming Soon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are trying a new program with our homeschool this month! We have a one month trial from Time 4 Learning that we'll be "test driving". I have some official words that I need to post from Time 4 Learning : <span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I've been invited to
try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. My
opinion will be entirely my own, so be sure to come back and read about
my experience. Time4Learning can be used as a <b><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum.htm?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank">homeschool curriculum</a></b>, for <b><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/curriculum/afterschool.html?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank" title="http://www.time4learning.com/curriculum/afterschool.html?ref=Review+Referring
CTRL + Click to follow link">afterschool enrichment</a></b> and for <b><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/summer-school.shtml?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank" title="http://www.time4learning.com/summer-school.shtml?ref=Review+Referring
CTRL + Click to follow link">summer skill sharpening</a></b>. Find out how to write your own <b><a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum-review.shtml?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank">curriculum review</a></b> for Time4Learning.</span></span><br />
So that's the deal. We get to try this curriculum for one month for FREE! We'll let you know how it goes and what our thoughts are after we've used the program. I have high hopes!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-42143109172054316742013-02-08T11:03:00.000-08:002013-02-08T11:06:37.580-08:00Borax Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have you ever used Borax? I used to use it all the time and then got out of the habit. Borax is great to use with your laundry (it allows you to use half the laundry soap you would normally use and your clothes still come out beautifully clean!)<br />
I was so excited that Purex Insiders sent me a box to get reacquainted with! You really can't beat Borax for cleaning power! I have a cleaning book that has some cleaning "recipes" that use Borax, but I haven't tried them yet...guess that's next on my list to try with this box.<br />
So, if you are looking for a way to save money on your laundry, but you love one of the more expensive detergents (or even a regular priced one) adding Borax will allow you to use less detergent, get super clean clothes and save a buck or two in the process!<br />
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I was sent a box to Borax to try and then review. The opinions expressed here are my own. DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-27436296179745983592013-01-11T02:35:00.000-08:002013-01-11T02:35:06.316-08:00Dial Foaming Hand Soap (Holiday Editions)I was pleasantly surprised to find a box of Dial Foaming Hand Soap on my doorstep this Christmas season. Even though I'm a Purex Insider and get items to review from time to time, I wasn't expecting this package!<br />
The best part of this package was that the soap was decorated for Christmas! I received two bottles (one decorated like a candy cane and a snowman bottle). My son was absolutely thrilled to have "Christmas" soap to use to wash his hands and make the bathroom festive.<br />
Overall, the soap did a great job. I did have to be careful how forcefully I pushed the pump or it would squirt part my hands onto the counter. The scent was berry and smelled good. I will definitely be looking for these next Christmas, they're an easy way to make the bathroom a little festive and kids love to use it to wash their hands!<br />
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Dial soap provided the samples for me to try, but the opinions expressed are mine.<br /><br />DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-1905343200943071092012-12-07T17:48:00.001-08:002012-12-07T18:13:02.442-08:00Purex with Oxi Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In case you don't remember, I am a Purex Insider. What does that mean? It means from time to time, I get products from Purex to review! A few weeks ago, a bottle of Purex with Oxi arrived on my doorstep. Surprise! A new product to review!<br />
Normally, I use Tide, it's just what I've used for years and I like how it works and smells. I always get Tide with bleach, so I figured that this was pretty close in comparison.<br />
I used it and it compares pretty well in how clean it gets my clothes. Only the scent is a little bit too flowery for me, but it's not bad.<br />
Overall, I was pretty impressed with the Purex with Oxi. If you're looking for a budget-friendly laundry detergent that compares to Tide with bleach, look no further, Purex with Oxi fits the bill!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-73516313969655550912012-10-08T02:50:00.001-07:002012-10-08T02:50:44.396-07:00The Beginning of My StoryWell, I'm guessing that you might have noticed that I have blogged for a while (a really long while). I haven't been up to it with all I was dealing with health-wise, but I'm doing better and I thought , perhaps you would like to hear my story.
I can't promise you it will be short, because it isn't and for you to fully understand my story, I'm going to have to take you back in time with me. Because my story didn't start last fall, my story started a long time ago.<br />
So, join with me if you will as we travel back to 1995. I am 23 years old and am in my last semester at Coffeyville Community College majoring in art and attending school on a full ride vocal scholarship. February rolls around and I get a nasty cold. I go to the Dr. (not a really great Dr. and he doesn't do much for me, but eventually the cold goes away, or so it seems).<br />
I have an early morning Economics class this last semester and I really struggle to make it there. I am a night owl by nature, by I cannot seem to get myself out of bed in the morning. I chalk it up to my normal tendency to not like mornings. I can't tell you how many times I skipped this class, but it was a lot.
Toward the end of the semester, I notice that I have difficulty swallowing. I think that perhaps I have asthma and that it why my airway and throat seem constricted and tell myself not to panic when things get stuck in my throat.
Amazingly, I make it to the end of the semester (and I passed my Economics class). I graduate and have plans to start at the College of the Ozarks in the fall, still majoring in art. I've been accepted and even have my roommate assignment. The plan is to continue working until it's time to go to school in the fall. I had been working at Kmart for about a year and then switched to a different job that had promised lots of hours, but that turned out not to be true, so I went back to Kmart and kept the other job, so I was working 2 jobs and was still exhausted and not breathing well.<br />
Early June rolls around and with it came a visit from my brother and sister-in-law. We had a fun weekend and went on a day trip with my parents and my brother and sister-in-law. We went out to lunch at a KFC and I ordered mashed potatoes because it was the only thing I was pretty sure I could swallow. When we were back home and my brother had gone home, my mom looked at me and told me she didn't like the way I sounded when I was breathing. Her exact words were "You sound like a death rattle". So after some discussion, it is decided that she will call the Dr. that she and my dad have just switched to. I haven't switched to him, I have no Dr. and I have no insurance. My mom calls the Dr. and he tells her to bring me to the emergency room and he will meet her there. It's a Sunday night, the Dr. is pretty awesome, as I will soon find out.
We drive to the emergency room in Independence, KS (the next town over from Coffeyville) and start the joy of waiting in the emergency room.
The Dr. sees me and they do all the normal stuff that they do when someone is having difficulty breathing. They take x-rays and they give me a shot for swelling and send me home saying that I should visit the Dr. later in the week. I go home and finally sleep, which is something I haven't been able to do for a day or two, as I was not able to breathe if I was laying down.<br />
Very early the next morning the phone rings. It's the hospital and they want me to come in for a CT scan. The x-ray shows something pressing on my windpipe and they want to get a better look.
So, I go in for the CT and it is one of the worst experiences. I must be dehydrated because they can't find a vein anywhere (not that I have easy to find veins to begin with). The radiologist gets in on the act and pokes me about 8 million times, some of those in the wrist which is extremely painful! Finally, they find a vein and we are in business. We do the CT scan (breathe in, hold your breath...breathe - that's what I heard over and over). After the CT scan, I head to work, which I called the night before to say I wasn't feeling well and couldn't work that night. This was completely true, but since I didn't sound sick the manager I talked to told my co-workers that I was faking. A nice co-worker informed me of this fact and I showed the co-worker my multitude of bandages from where they had tried to find my veins and I asked her "Does this look like faking?" She didn't think so and neither did our HR person when I shared this with her...that manager moved on soon after this event.<br />
Okay, that was a little detour about life in general, now back to the story. Let's see...so the visit to the ER was June 10th. The CT scan was June 11th and I was scheduled to meet with my Dr. to get the results on Wed. My mom left for cheerleading camp and my dad was at work, so I went to the Dr. by myself. Side note: if my parents had any idea what was about to happen, there is no way in the world I would be at that appointment alone, but they had no idea. I personally, believe that I am very sick and of the options that have floated around me, I have this nagging feeling that this won't go away easily. I think that I have cancer, but I try to convince myself that I'm just being fatalistic, just choosing the worst case scenario.<br />
Wednesday arrives and I drive myself to see the Dr. I'm taken back to one of the rooms and I wait for the Dr. comes in. "The CT scan shows a mass in your chest." he tells me. "It's going to need to be removed surgically. I'm going to call a thoracic surgeon. I'll try Wichita first, but we need to get you in to whoever can see you the soonest." He leaves to make some calls and I wait there, alone, struggling not to completely lose it. I am scared to death.<br />
The Dr. comes back and has an appointment scheduled for me with a thoracic surgeon on June 19th in Tulsa, OK. I leave the Dr.'s office and drive straight to my Dad's office to see my dad. I am seconds from losing it. I get to my dad's office and I go straight to his office, the tears start streaming down. He takes me into his boss's office (the only true office in the building, the rest are cubicles) and through gulps and sobs I explain that I am going to need to have surgery.<br />
To be continued...DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-32227435100256127562011-11-09T20:29:00.000-08:002011-11-09T20:29:32.832-08:00A hiccup in lifeDear Gluten Free blog readers-<br />
I wanted to write to you and explain my absence. I have been dealing with some health issues and had surgery last week...I'm still waiting on some biopsy results. It's been difficult to do much cooking, much less come up with inspiring gluten and dairy free recipes... I do have some recipes that I worked on while I was feeling up to it, so as soon as I am feeling better, I will be thrilled to share these recipes with you! Unfortunately, I can't tell you how long it will take before I feel better. Until we "meet" again, keep up the gluten free diet, I'm pretty sure what I'm fighting is in part caused by eating gluten when I didn't know that it was a problem for me. I've been reading some really great articles about gluten and it's relationship with autoimmune diseases. If I feel up to it, I'll try to put up some links so you can read up on it, too.<br />
Until next time...Happy Eating from DeAnnDeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-90257918055563367582011-08-12T11:08:00.000-07:002011-08-12T11:08:21.790-07:00A Gluten FreebieIn case you didn't already know this, I love freebies! Today I saw that my favorite freebie blog, Freebies4mom.com had posted a free downloadable Back to School booklet and it's a gluten free tip/recipe book! Hooray! So in case you like freebies as much as I do, I thought I would share the link with you. Just click on the title of the book: <a href="http://www.julesglutenfree.com/product-p/book-bts.htm">Back to School with Jules</a> and use the code: 2011BTSebook It's free to download right away. There's also a blog connected to this, it's geared toward her flour blend that she sells, but it still looks good. Enjoy!<br />
Happy Eating...er Reading!<br />
<br />
DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-89487255098075263672011-05-18T22:59:00.000-07:002011-05-18T22:59:21.900-07:00Some Product ReviewsI thought I would share with you some of my family's favorite gluten-free products, since it's always nice to know what someone else thought of a product that you're thinking about trying.<br />
I'll start with the family's favorite pancake mix. We use the <a href="http://www.glutenfreemama.com/">Gluten Free Mama's Pancake</a> mix. Of course, I like my pancakes a little different than the recipe on the package, so I add some sugar, vanilla, a drizzle of olive oil and extra rice milk until it becomes a thinner batter. It's a winner around here, even my son's friends gobbled them up and had thirds (and they don't have to eat gluten free).<br />
Our pasta choices come for two sources: Trader Joe's Brown Rice pasta (we usually buy the penne, but they have spirals and spaghetti, too) and the brand <a href="http://www.tinkyada.com/">Tinkyada</a>, which I buy from <a href="http://www.azurestandard.com/">Azure Standard</a>. I've only tried the elbow macaroni, but we make good use of it for mac and cheese (with Daiya dairy free cheese), macaroni salad, tuna noodle casserole and goulash. It's worked great in all those dishes. The penne I usually buy for spaghetti as my son doesn't like spaghetti noodles, he says they "smack him in the face", so penne it is.<br />
Bread is always a tricky thing when you're eating gluten free. For a long time we bought Pamela's bread mix, but after a while it became apparent that it wasn't the right consistency and it was too sweet. So, I either make my own using the Gluten Free Mama's Almond Flour blend or we buy one of two excellent gluten free breads, <a href="http://udisglutenfree.com/ppc-gluten-free-udis/?jkId=8a8ae4cc2bf6559a012c0930d2b81c77&jt=1&jadid=7463835093&js=1&jk=udi%27s&jsid=22255&jmt=1&&gclid=CLG7laym86gCFQELbAod0ncVSg">Udi's</a> or <a href="http://www.rudisbakery.com/">Rudi's Bakery</a>. Just be careful if buying Rudi's bread, they make regular and gluten free bread and do follow the directions to keep it in the freezer and using only what you need. I tried keeping in the refrigerator and it dried out rather quickly. Udi's is all gluten free and they make several different products, bread, pizza crust, muffins, bagels, etc. I've tried the bread, muffins and pizza crust and have been very impressed with the products. Udi's can be found at Whole Foods Markets and locally I've found their products in Tumwater at the Fred Meyer and also at <a href="http://www.gfjoes.com/">Gluten Free Joe's</a>. The drawback to buying gluten free bread is, it isn't cheap, it's somewhere between $5-$7 a loaf. Udi's does offer a coupon to print out and when I bought some at Whole Foods, they had coupons placed by the product. Rudi's can be found at some Costco's and they've been advertised the price is $6.89 for 2 loaves! I know the Costco in Federal Way has these, it would be nice if all the Costco's started carrying their bread at that great price!<br />
We have lots of "favorite" gluten free products, but if I highlighted them all I'd been writing a book instead of blog post! These are some of our favorite that are products that were hard to do without or duplicate the right flavor at home (or just added convenience for us).<br />
Hope you find some products that work for your family. Next time, I'm going to be sharing links to some of my favorite gluten-free blogs and a link to a wonderful dinner roll recipe that's gluten-free! It's actually soft!<br />
Until next time...<br />
Happy Eating!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-42448968204487537892011-02-25T13:47:00.000-08:002011-02-25T13:47:18.781-08:00Some reviewsI'm sure you're waiting anxiously for new recipes. They're coming, I promise. Until they're ready I will be featuring some reviews of products and some books, too. This might surprise you since the majority of my blogging features the gluten and dairy free recipes we use in my house. But, the blog is called DeAnn's Delights, so please indulge me as I share about some things that delight me.<br />
Today I received a free trial of a new product from Purex. I had signed up to be one of their "insiders", which basically means I'm a guinea pig for new products and I get to share my opinion on the product with, well, the world. The new product is a softener for clothes, but it's crystals, not a liquid. It comes unscented or scented. I got to choose which I wanted to try for (not everyone got picked to try the product). I picked the scented product and crossed my fingers that it would be a scent that I like. The one they sent me is Fresh Spring Waters. It smells great in the bottle, so good that I had to do a load of laundry. We'll see what it smells like after it dries.<br />
Here are the features about the product (the promises from the company) that I like: you can use on towels and they won't lose absorbency, it won't make those flame-retardant jammies become flammable and it isn't oily. Plus, if you spill it, you can sweep it up!<br />
You can still sign up to be a<a href="http://www.purexinsiders.com/register"> <b>Purex Insider</b></a>, just click on the highlighted words and you can sign up. I don't know if they'll still be sending the crystals out, but they definitely have future promotions coming!<br />
Well, I just put the laundry in the dryer and it smells wonderful! I think I may have just found a new delight!<br />
Check back soon, next time I'm going to do a review of a line of gluten free products and a gluten free cookbook that goes with the products. Until next time...<br />
Happy laundry and happy eating!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-65016056757714206212011-02-11T16:33:00.000-08:002011-02-11T16:34:36.267-08:00Mac -N- Cheese RecipeI know you've been anxiously waiting for this recipe, so I'm sharing it now. Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado, I give you <b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IySumklDcsUgxxilHeYKUdN0idIuiM06CbFZB-gKQDE/edit?hl=en">Macaroni and Cheese</a></b> (the gluten, dairy and soy free version). We all really liked this recipe, although my son Ian told me it was "too creamy". I'm not really sure there is such a thing as too creamy, but he seems to think there is. He liked this better the next day as a warmed up leftover because the noodles had soaked up a lot of the sauce. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFUpod8XKJUYsFvhnVSK7kqsuPCoE37fGGgeZ1WOsLEU6FDHT9uXXB1XSw8aB6_YxK6z9pnSYs27SvZPxojvOfIW8WPM0pMwqOp8KngV66bekojqNl_4d47pc4RtTDpHK7aaKc_L4eh6N/s1600/DSC_9341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFUpod8XKJUYsFvhnVSK7kqsuPCoE37fGGgeZ1WOsLEU6FDHT9uXXB1XSw8aB6_YxK6z9pnSYs27SvZPxojvOfIW8WPM0pMwqOp8KngV66bekojqNl_4d47pc4RtTDpHK7aaKc_L4eh6N/s320/DSC_9341.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fptfdxCoEn_a5HO1OhXMrc_njACpsB41Uwb32xAKd_tyAMxnr2ciEhglWSE-FlQLjCRonQqdPovSF5p6OGv8wxEcfrMkRL7VH94S43Ot1aFCekUU0wlr3JQz8D8ylJCHz0kwgCc_aG0P/s1600/DSC_9343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fptfdxCoEn_a5HO1OhXMrc_njACpsB41Uwb32xAKd_tyAMxnr2ciEhglWSE-FlQLjCRonQqdPovSF5p6OGv8wxEcfrMkRL7VH94S43Ot1aFCekUU0wlr3JQz8D8ylJCHz0kwgCc_aG0P/s320/DSC_9343.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCBH7ZGYKPilKYXSYyxohfcjNNaL9CC1aabNwgLycBLMo3Tn4cKyzatRB2ylDEngQ6RxPBbuUC6OGPYofJ1GzjxwtBeA9iTBiofDb2xAiQyGhoxCDi6PgtF7u0qdpsXfIUPAH7MFIec_b/s1600/DSC_9348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCBH7ZGYKPilKYXSYyxohfcjNNaL9CC1aabNwgLycBLMo3Tn4cKyzatRB2ylDEngQ6RxPBbuUC6OGPYofJ1GzjxwtBeA9iTBiofDb2xAiQyGhoxCDi6PgtF7u0qdpsXfIUPAH7MFIec_b/s320/DSC_9348.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06nS2VqkfKjV62etv_ygvrH6ZIVTI_VLslWYtbxuAulPrnEsR0HZ424yqNBg6A991MzI64w4Tb6p-wiQ0ZJQ2xseCsknDQJBk0JxKairIMHA8cPUxsop0Jqq2H5VxX-s2XS7HDraBbR3s/s1600/DSC_9362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06nS2VqkfKjV62etv_ygvrH6ZIVTI_VLslWYtbxuAulPrnEsR0HZ424yqNBg6A991MzI64w4Tb6p-wiQ0ZJQ2xseCsknDQJBk0JxKairIMHA8cPUxsop0Jqq2H5VxX-s2XS7HDraBbR3s/s320/DSC_9362.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This was my first time using Daiya cheese and I was pleasantly surprised. Since it's dairy free, vegan, soy free etc. I had hopes for it since it had won some awards, but some doubts, too simply because of what it is. Thankfully, I can say it's good. Sort of tastes like a cross between Cheddar and American cheese. The sauce was so yummy, I'm thinking it would be pretty easy to turn it into a Mexican cheese dip if you had the right seasonings! <br />
I hope you like the pictures. I wanted to make sure that you could see the cheese package (that always helps me when I'm looking for something in the store). You can also see just how much onion I added. I really like onion in it, gives it great flavor, but you can always use less or omit the onion depending on personal tastes. Let me know what you think if you try this recipe.<br />
Happy Eating!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-2189505090395175262011-02-06T18:30:00.000-08:002011-02-06T18:30:47.763-08:00The VerdictDinner is safely tucked into our happy tummies, so now I can share with you how my macaroni and cheese experiment went. It was great! Did it taste exactly like the dairy versions I made in the past? Well, no, but I didn't expect it to, I just wanted it to taste delicious and it was. How did it compare to the boxes and all? Better, in my opinion. Definitely better Velveeta Shells and cheese (yuck, never liked that stuff).<br />
The Daiya cheese tasted great and it melted (well, mostly melted...probably 98-99%, there were a few unmelted pieces in the cheese sauce when I added it to the macaroni in the casserole dish, but I did not see any unmelted pieces after it baked).<br />
So, the verdict: this one is a winner! We will definitely be buying Daiya cheese again (probably will try the mozzarella with pizza next time).<br />
I took pictures and just need to review the recipe before I post it, so keep your eyes open for that recipe coming soon!<br />
Until then.....<br />
Happy Eating!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-16984274512983654892011-02-06T15:49:00.000-08:002011-02-06T15:49:34.280-08:00Super Bowl and an experimentHappy Super Bowl Sunday! I'm not watching, but I hear my guys watching it in the background. Funny, I just remembered that last year for the Super Bowl we were in Hawaii and Colin missed most of the Super Bowl because he had the stomach flu...which I also came down with a few hours after Colin. So, this year we feel better, but it's certainly not as sunny as last year!<br />
Since I'm not watching, I thought I would work on an experiment with a new product, Daiya cheese. I recently spotted this product on another blog (don't ask me which one, because I am a SERIOUS blog surfer...there are too many to keep track of all the sites I visit). I was intrigued by the promises of this "cheese". No dairy, no gluten, no casein, no gmo's. So far, I've seen two flavors available, Cheddar and Mozzarella. My plan was to purchase Mozzarella to make pizza, but plans don't always work right when you send your husband to the store without you. He came home with Cheddar. So, I have decided to make macaroni and cheese. Wait, that wasn't enough oomph...MACARONI AND CHEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There, that's better. This is a huge deal in my house. There has only been one attempt at "macaroni and cheese" since we went gluten and dairy free and it was terrible, nasty stuff (it was from a box that was gluten and dairy free) . I made it, we tried it, we threw it out and haven't tried anything else that had the word cheeze on it. So, let the experiment begin.... <br />
I'll be back later to let you know if it was...<br />
Happy Eating!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-79882621986492559782011-01-21T17:48:00.000-08:002011-01-21T17:48:46.348-08:00How did the time slip away...I can't believe it's the middle of January! Poor little blog sitting here, waiting for some great recipes to share while I've been fighting little colds and some winter blues. Both, I must tell you are buggers when it comes to cooking inspiration...it's just not there. I know I promised you some Christmas goodies, but, to be honest, I hardly made any this year. Just the Almond Chocoroons (gave you that recipe last year) and some Peppermint Patties (okay, those were delicious and I promise I will try to get the recipe up here...it's one I adapted from a allergy cookbook).<br />
Since you've been waiting so patiently for something to appear on here, how 'bout I share my recipe for gluten and dairy free Hot Cocoa? Sound good? I thought it might.<br />
<br />
Hot Cocoa (Gluten and Dairy Free...oh, and soy free, too)<br />
1 container Vance's Dari-free (19.5 oz. container)<br />
1 1/4 c. sugar<br />
1/8 t. salt<br />
3/4 c. cocoa powder (not processed) I use Trader Joe's unsweetened cocoa powder. Do NOT use a regular Hershey's cocoa powder, it doesn't dissolve well. Oh, note...I like my cocoa very chocolatey, if you don't like it very choloclatey, use less cocoa, maybe 1/2 c.<br />
In a very large bowl mix all ingredients. Pour into a seal-able container. To make hot cocoa: 8oz. of hot water + 1/4 c. of cocoa mix. Drink and enjoy!<br />
This is a very good alternative for us. It's already hit the spot after sledding at least twice...yum! Vance's DariFree isn't cheap (close to $10 a container), but buying a gluten and dairy free cocoa mix (if and when you can find one) isn't cheap either. In the long run, this one is worth the little bit extra we pay so we can enjoy one of our wintertime favorites. So, if there's some snow in your forecast, better get busy, looks like it might be time for a cup of cocoa!<br />
Happy Eating (or drinking cocoa in this case)!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-62948342802451076952010-12-23T00:02:00.000-08:002010-12-23T00:02:40.916-08:00Christmas GoodiesI know, I promised you a post about Christmas goodies... and I intend to share some with you, but they will probably be more like New Year's goodies. This year, more than ever I feel like I'm just not ready for Christmas. It feels like it should be in two weeks, not two days. I haven't even made lots of Christmas goodies this year. What have I made? Some awesome Mini peppermint patties, some almond chocoroons (I shared that recipe last year), caramel popcorn and a really yummy Cranberry Chex Mix.<br />
<br />
So look for a post sometime between now and New Year's. I promise I will post recipes as soon as I come up for air! <br />
Happy Eating and Merry Christmas!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-39083675511742366162010-12-16T09:13:00.000-08:002010-12-16T09:13:37.945-08:00What to do with Turkey LeftoversI love having leftover turkey, there are so many things to make using it. The ever popular turkey sandwiches (and yes, we can still have them, just use gluten free bread), turkey soup, turkey divan (still working on making that one gluten and dairy free) and my favorite turkey salad. Growing up, I cringed when I heard the words turkey salad or chicken salad. In my house, it meant something similar to tuna salad (the meat was ground up) and not nearly as tasty.<br />
The first time I tasted this version of <b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s2HEk2pqHjQLyhN4VkQfC5b3JNMLvVntHMLk7m9w9B0/edit?hl=en">Turkey salad</a></b> I was in the hospital waiting to be released a week after major surgery. Sounds promising, right? Hospital food. It wasn't only hospital food...it was AWESOME hospital food (although you didn't get very much). I told my mom to try some and she politely refused saying it was my lunch, but I told her she had to try it so she did and was as impressed as I was. Simply divine. I waited years to find a recipe similar and I finally did five years later in a Taste of Home magazine. I made it and again was so happy with the flavor. Unfortunately, I don't always keep track of magazines and haven't seen the recipe since, so I had to make this one up with a few changes to the original taste. The salad I had in the hospital had slivered almonds and maybe cashews? It's been a long time, obviously. I tend to put whatever nut I'm in the mood for in this salad. Almonds are great, cashews, too. I don't think I'd like it with peanuts, but I see potential for using macadamia nuts. Right now, I'm using toasted pecans...yum!<br />
Enjoy your leftovers and next time we'll talk about Christmas goodies.<br />
Happy Eating!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-4905006751543785762010-12-05T00:56:00.000-08:002010-12-05T00:56:43.565-08:00Happy Thanksgiving and Beyond...I hope you had a very lovely Thanksgiving. Sorry, I left you hanging about mashed potatoes and cranberry relish. Hopefully, you managed without me. Mashed potatoes are, of course, quite simple to make dairy and gluten free. I use Earth Balance soy free instead of butter and rice milk or coconut milk instead of regular milk (or a combination of the two) and salt and pepper to taste. Simple!<br />
As for cranberry relish, that is a recipe that my grandma made every year and then my mom made it and now I make it. The original recipe called for 1 bag of cranberries, 2 apples,cored, 2 oranges, juiced and you run all this through a food grinder. I am food grinder challenged (no good spot to set one up in my kitchen) so I make all this in my food processor on mince and usually, in batches. Then, I mix it all together with 1/4- 3/4 c. sugar (it depends on the tartness of the cranberries and the sweetness of the apples and oranges...it's all to taste). This year, I only used one orange and two medium apples...my orange was huge!<br />
Anyway, just wanted to make sure you had those recipes! My next post will be talking about using leftover turkey (or chicken) so check back soon. Then, I will be starting a series for Christmas cooking gluten and dairy free. Until next time...<br />
Happy Eating!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-2583741862001556132010-11-23T15:10:00.000-08:002010-11-23T15:10:59.017-08:00Pumpkin PieOh, how I love pumpkin pie! This is my "must have" dessert for Thanksgiving. No other pie will do! My mom always was the one to bring these for Thanksgiving and they were always a slice of homemade deliciousness. Yum. We've always used the Libby's Canned pumpkin and the recipe on the side, so when it was time to make my pie last year, I knew what recipe I wanted to use, I just needed to find some substitute for dairy and find a gluten-free pie crust. The pie crust was simple, I used a bag of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pamelas-Products-Wheat-Free-Gluten-Free-19-Ounce/dp/B000DZFMEQ?ie=UTF8&tag=deasde-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Pamela's Products Wheat-Free & Gluten-Free Bread Mix, 19-Ounce Packages (Pack of 6)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=deasde-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000DZFMEQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. The recipe was on the bag, but I know that there are several versions at the <a href="http://www.pamelasproducts.com/recipe_frames.html"><b>Pamela's</b></a> website, I linked one for you, just click on Pamela's to get there.<br />
This year I'm trying out the Gluten Free Mama Pie Crust Mix, it uses some almond flour, so it definitely isn't for anyone with a nut allergy. I'm making my <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y7JvK3CJD4U8qzYdOxcjUmL-ugFjS2b3isOVIDBc7m0/edit?hl=en"><b>pumpkin pie </b></a>tomorrow night, so I'll try to capture some pictures of it to share.<br />
As promised, my next post will be talking about mashed potatoes, cranberry relish and dinner rolls. Check back soon as that will be the conclusion of my Thanksgiving series, but I plan to start a Christmas series next and for those cold days ahead, I'll be posting a recipe for a dairy free hot cocoa mix. Until next time...<br />
Happy Eating!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-2175950800925755012010-11-23T01:48:00.000-08:002010-11-23T13:49:57.779-08:00Green Bean CasseroleJust typing the title brings back memories of so many Thanksgivings with my family. Green Bean Casserole was always what my aunt Gail brought for Thanksgiving. My mom always made the pumpkin pies and she never touched the Green Bean Casserole, she didn't like it. My brother and I, on the other hand, loved this stuff and still do to this day. It isn't quite Thanksgiving without it, but last year it looked like I might have to forgo this ultimate Thanksgiving side dish. I was determined not to go down without a fight, so I started searching the internet and found several gluten free blogs that had recipes for GBC (sorry, I just had to abbreviate). None were exactly what I was looking for, but I adapted them and the casserole turned out fabulous, better than the original. Try for yourself and see what you think...<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wBBJUuEW17QVs56S9_EZm6IbNHEHkVhtJmwvlx49t30/edit?hl=en"><b>Green Bean Casserole with French Fried Onions</b></a>.<br />
Here's the link for the <a href="https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AcGVjgO4US6iZGc2NTR3OXpfMTg2aDl3ZjJjdg&hl=en"><b>Cream of Mushroom Soup</b></a>, I shared it earlier when I made Sausage Green Bean Casserole. <br />
So now you're set for the best Thanksgiving side dish. Come back soon, I'm going to share my pumpkin pie recipe in my next post and then we'll talk about mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, rolls...etc. Boy! This post is making me hungry! Until next time...<br />
Happy Eating!DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2756125410238891736.post-69689194011352483592010-11-19T15:37:00.000-08:002010-11-19T15:45:01.248-08:00Dressing/ Stuffing...Whatever!So, onto dressing, which is, of course the same as stuffing but it isn't stuffed and is instead baked in a casserole dish. At least, that's how I differentiate between the two. My sweet husband read my last post and wondered if I was going to share my <i>ranch</i> dressing recipe. I thought he was cute and honestly, if you don't cook (and maybe even if you do) the terminology is sometimes confusing. So, to be clear, this is a bread dressing (or stuffing, either term works, but I never stuff it in a bird, it gets too mushy and you run the risk of salmonella, which is not what you want to give your guests!)<br />
The recipe I use is out of an old Betty Crocker cookbook, although we did tweak it a little even before we had to change it to make it gluten and dairy free. Last Thanksgiving I did something to this dressing that I'd never done before due to a lack of time, I made it the night before and put it in the fridge overnight. I didn't think anything about it until I made some dressing this summer (I know..but in my defense, it was cold this summer) and it didn't taste quite the same. I thought about it and realized the only thing different was I hadn't let it sit in the fridge overnight. So, I am definitely making it the night before this year...I want that great flavor again!<br />
So, I have pulled out the 1970's version of Betty Crocker (I do own 3 of "her" books 1950's, 1970's and 1990's) it's the same one my mom has, so I'm rather partial to it. As I'm looking at the recipe, I see that it's called Bread Stuffing. Whatever! My version isn't really in the book anyway, the casserole version, but thankfully, I know that part well. <br />
If you're ready to make the recipe, just click on the name (<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15iZelVIcRiifNAx9DH9jZgwoEP_S3FYvo8FXMBzGhg0/edit?hl=en"><b>Thanksgiving Dressing/Stuffing</b></a>) and it will take you to the document. I'm nice like that, you know, thinking of you and making it easier for you to print the recipe. Sorry, I don't have a picture, I'll try to take some pictures of all the yummy Thanksgiving food this year!<br />
Look for my next post. I'm going to share how to make Green Bean Casserole (and yes, it will have gluten free French Fried onions). Until next time...<br />
Happy Eating!<br />
P.S. A little side note about what gluten free bread I use:<br />
I use <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pamelas-Products-Wheat-Free-Gluten-Free-19-Ounce/dp/B000DZFMEQ?ie=UTF8&tag=deasde-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Pamela's Products Wheat-Free & Gluten-Free Bread Mix, 19-Ounce Packages (Pack of 6)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=deasde-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000DZFMEQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> for the bread. I make it in my bread machine at least a day in advance. And, um..I tweaked the recipe for the bread just a little bit. I add : 2 eggs, 1/4 c. olive oil, 3/4 c. warm rice milk, 3/4 c. warm water, bread mix, 1 t. sugar, yeast packet from mix + 1/2 t. yeast. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bread machine and stir in any flour that hasn't been mixed when the machine gets to the first rest cycle.DeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300244384307076208noreply@blogger.com0