Shack Attack

Aloha Friends!

I have feverishly been working on our newsletter "The Pipeline" for the month of November. It has a lot of cool content, fun articles and two contests.

(1) Recipe Contest: Submit your best gluten-free dessert recipe. If your recipe is chosen to be the tastiest, it will be published in our December newsletter and you will win a free package of semi-sweet gluten-free chocolate chips by Enjoy life.

(2) General Mills/Betty Crocker Prize Pack Giveaway: General Mills has graciously agreed to give one of our "Shackers" a prize pack that includes a Yo-Yo, Frisbee, Pick-Up Stick game and two boxes of gluten-free snacks. Details for participation will be available through "The Pipeline".

If you haven't already become a subscriber, I urge you to do so. You will receive another newsletter to clutter your inbox and have some really good opportunities to win some free swag. Thanks as always for your support.

Sign-Up! The Pipeline

Regards,
The Celiac Shack
"Making gluten free fun one day at a time!"

Kids Corner

Gluten-Free Halloween Treats

Since only one of the "Jones Gang" kids are gluten-intolerant, sometimes he misses out on special occasion treats. This Halloween is going to be different and catered toward my little gluten-free gremlin. I am going to share with you a couple of recipes that I plan to whip in my cauldron for this spooky festival. I hope you find one of them inciting and serve it to your little monsters. I want all you "Shackers" to have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Gluten Free Chocolate - Orange Sherbet Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe

Make fast and easy homemade cocoa rice crispie bars, sandwich them with orange sherbet and you end up with an irresistible gluten free ice cream sandwich treat.

Prep Time: :20

Ingredients:
•1 - 10 ounce box of gluten free brown rice crispie cereal
•1 - 10 ounce bag of marshmallows
•1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•4 tablespoons cocoa

Preparation:
1.Butter a large sheet pan (jelly roll) pan
2.In a large pan, melt butter over low heat.
3.Whisk in cocoa. Stir until thoroughly blended with butter.
4.Add marshmallows and stir over low heat until melted. Remove pan from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.
5.Stir in rice cereal and gently fold cereal with marshmallow mixture.
6.Pour rice mixture into prepared pan. With buttered fingers press the mixture flat.
7.Cut in 20 - 2 1/2 inch squares.
8.Soften orange sherbet until it's easy to scoop. Place about 1/3 cup of orange sherbet on 10 rice crispie squares. Press another square on top and gently press down. Even edges of ice cream sandwich with your finger.
9.Wrap ice cream sandwiches individually, place in a freezer bag and freeze until ready to serve.

Makes 10 - 2 1/2 inch ice cream sandwiches but make them as large or small as you like!

Gluten-Free Brownie Mini-Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

This quick gluten free brownie mini-cupcake recipe is great for parties. Just one teaspoon of orange cream cheese frosting sprinkled with minced orange zest on each mini-cupcake creates a favorite flavor combination- chocolate and orange. And mini-cupcakes are a good way to cut excess calories- if you just eat one or two!

Prep Time: :20
Cook Time: :15

Ingredients:
•1 cup butter
•1 1/2 cups sugar
•4 eggs
•2 teaspoons vanilla
•3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour mix
•1/4 cup amaranth flour
•8 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa
•1/2 teaspoon guar gum OR xanthan gum
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350° F / 176° C
Line mini muffin pan with paper liners

1.In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
2.Add eggs and beat until blended.
3.Place dry ingredients (not the nuts) in a separate bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended.
4.Add the dry ingredients and mix just until well combined.
5.Fold in nuts.
6.Line a mini-muffin baking pan with muffin liner cups. Use a small ice cream scoop or teaspoon to drop brownie batter into muffin cups. Fill approximately two-thirds full.
7.Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a brownie cupcake comes out clean.
8.Remove cupcakes from muffin pan and place on a cooling rack.
9.When completely cool frost with orange cream cheese frosting.


Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Place 1/4 cup butter, 3 ounces of cream cheese and 1/2 teaspoon gluten free orange extract in a mixing bowl. Beat on high until mixture is smooth and creamy. Add 2 cups powdered sugar and mix on low until blended. Add 1-2 tablespoons of orange juice if necessary to make a thick, spreadable frosting. Stir in 1 tablespoon of finely grated orange zest. Garnish each cupcake with finely minced orange zest.
(Makes 48 mini-cupcakes)

Reminder: Always make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.

Regards,
The Celiac Shack
"Making gluten-free fun one day at a time!"

New Blog Page & Posts

ALOHA EVERYONE!

I am excited to announce that starting Monday October 12th, we are starting a new blog format. We have not been posting recently because we have been working on improving the functionality and overall appearance of our page. Here's what to expect going forward with our posts:

Monday:         Health & Wellness
Tuesday:        Kids Cove  
Wednesday:  Gluten-Free Product Info.         
Thursday:     "Shack" Attack
Friday:             Travel & Leisure

We want our post not only to be entertaining, but be filled with useful information that can actually assist you in your everyday life. You will not have endless days filled with our personal thoughts and business plugs for our on-line store. We have narrowed down these ramblings to be delivered on Thursdays. We also have opened our posts up to comments from our followers. We want everyone to participate and help build a community that draws not only on success stories, but hard learned failures. As a thank you for following our blog, we will choose a random follower each week to receive a FREE gluten-free sample size snack. If you have any questions or comments regarding our new venture, please send us an e-mail at theceliacshack@yahoo.com.

So stay tuned, tell a friend & enjoy!

Regards,

The Celiac Shack

Isles Of Wheat & Not A Bite To Eat

I just got back from the local food store where they looked at me baffled when I asked them where their gluten-free items were located. I cannot believe that the major chains are still resisting stocking their stores with food that we need. They all have token areas that amount to very little more than a marketing ploy. It's darn near impossible to put together a days worth of meal options let alone an entire weeks worth. If I don't beat these stores to the punch, I believe that we will see a supermarket that will be 100% gluten-free from top to bottom within the next 5 years. No label reading with all the choices people need to do their full shopping. As Celiac disease and other gluten-free related illnesses gain acceptance in the medical world we will see a major shift in what we are putting into our bodies. Until then, I am afraid that we are forced to piecemeal our list together from all over town. Keep the faith everyone, I have a plan!

Susan Jones

http://www.theceliacshack.net/