Gluten Free

Red Pears and Sausage Bake Recipe

After I went to the Johnsonville Sausage event, I started thinking about the flavors those firemen put together that I had never thought of before. And when I went to the grocery store, they had those good red pears that come in cellophane bags. They are only available this time of year, and cost a bit more than the other pears the store sells, but they are SO worth it. While the other pears in the store are hard as a rock when you buy, them these are ripe and soft and sweet. We usually eat them sliced and cored with a plate of sandwich meat, cheese, pickles, and boiled eggs for a quick lunch.

I decided to bake up some of the red pears with some Italian sausage. It turned out really good–Fabgrandpa loved it!

Red Pear & Sausage Bake

1 pkg Italian Sausage links

3 ripe red pears, cored and sliced

3 T olive oil

1 tsp celery flakes

1 tsp dried basil

1 bunch fresh basil

Take the casings off of the sausage links. Cut links into bite sized pieces. Place the pieces and the pear pieces in a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the dried herbs over all. Chop the fresh basil, and sprinkle over all. Toss to coat sausage and pears with olive oil and herbs. Spread into a 9″ X 13″ casserole dish. Bake in a 350° oven for 35 minutes. Serve with rice or beans.

I like the way the flavors blended together while it all baked in the oven . This would be good with apples, too. What is the most unusual combination of ingredients you have used that turned out to be delicious?

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Three Bakers Gluten Free Bread Review

Karen · 1 Comment

The people over at Three Bakers Gluten Free Bakery asked me if I would like to try some of their bread. Of course, I said yes. I am always ready to try out a new brand of bread. They sent me three loaves of their great bread. Three Bakers was founded in 2008, and exclusively bakes gluten free bread products.

Great Seed Whole Grain and 7 Seed Bread (photo from Three Baker’s Bakery website)

The first one I tried was their Great Seed Whole Grain and & Seed Bread. This bread was sooo good! It has Sunflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Chia Seeds, Millet Seeds, Hulled Hemp Seeds, Flax Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds. It was very flavorful and nutty tasting. Toasting it enhanced the nutty flavor. I enjoyed this bread made into sandwiches; toasted with butter; and untoasted with peanut butter. I did take several photos to show how many seeds this bread had in it. However, when my computer crashed a month or so ago, I lost them. I didn’t have any of the bread left to take more pictures, so you’ll just have to trust me when I tell you that it was chock full of seeds and grains.

In addition to several varieties of whole grain gluten free breads, Three Bakers Bakery also produces hamburger and hotdog buns; Hoagie Rolls; three varieties of frozen gluten free pizzas; pizza crusts; and stuffing mix. To find a retailer near you that carries Three Bakers products, go to their Where To Buy page. If you can’t find a retailer near you, print one of their retail request forms and take it to the store manager where you like to shop. Or, you can order online at The Gluten Free Mall. Oh, and right now they have a $2.00 off coupon you can print off of their home page.

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SweetWorks Candies Dress Up Your Autumn Baking

Karen · 89 Comments

This is a Fashionista Event and a promotional item was provided to me by Sweetworks. Hosts for this event are Still Blonde after all these Years and ModlyChic.

sweetworks candy giveaway

Autumn is in the air, and it is officially fall. I love this time of year because the temps cool down, and I can bake good things to eat and not swelter in the kitchen. I especially love gingerbread, and I have a quick and easy gingerbread cake recipe for you, using Sweetworks Pearls in Autumn colors to dress it up.

gingerbread 00

Easy Gingerbread Cake

1 package of your favorite gingerbread cake or cookie mix

OR 1 batch of your favorite gingerbread cake or cookie recipe, gluten free or regular, such as this one I found for gluten free gingerbread.

1 container of cream cheese frosting mix, or 1 batch of your favorite cream cheese frosting

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 container of Sweetworks Pearls in autumn colors

Mix up and bake the gingerbread according to package or recipe instructions. Let it cool completely. Open the container of cream cheese frosting, or mix up a batch using your recipe. Add 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice and stir until mixed in well. Frost the gingerbread cake with the Pumpkin Pie Spice Cream Cheese frosting. Add on a generous amount of Sweetworks Pearls, and you will have a not so ordinary gingerbread cake that looks as good as it tastes!

Pumpkin Spiced Gingerbread Cake dressed up for Autumn with Sweetworks Pearls

Sweetworks wants to make it even easier for you to decorate your home and your baked goods with their pretty autumn colors, by giving away 25 prize packs of their candies, each worth $50! Each of 25 bloggers, including me, will be giving one away. You can enter the giveaway here on Fabgrandma by using the Giveaway tools form below. Then, be sure to scroll all the way down, to the linky, where you will find the links to all the bloggers participating in this great giveaway! Enter them all for 25 chances to win!

gingerbread 02

Good luck! You can enter every day from now thru October 16th at 12:01 a.m.! Just look at all the goodies included in the prize pack:

Foiled Semi-Solid Turkey 1 $ 2.00
Harvest Sixlets Laydown Bag 1 $ 2.00
Milk Pumpkin Spice BAP 1 $ 3.00
Dark Orange BAP 1 $ 3.00
Caramel Apple Gumballs Bag 1 $ 4.00
Autumn Mix Gumballs Bag 1 $ 3.00
Autumn Mix Pearls Jar 1 $ 4.00
Autumn Mix Sixlets Bag 1 $ 4.00
Mint Ovation Sticks 1 $ 3.00
Orange Ovation Sticks 1 $ 3.00
Sixlets Bowling Coupons 2 $ 12.00
3705 Sixlets 9oz Bag 1 $ 3.00
Halloween Mix Sixlets Bag 1 $ 1.00
Foiled Milk Choc.Hall. Balls 1 $ 3.00
Jack-O-Lantern Discs 1 $ 3.00
TOTAL $ 53.00 * Substitutions are at the company’s discretion but value will be $50 or over

Entry -Form

Here’s the linky to use to enter all the other giveaways in this campaign!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Celebrate National Lemonade Day With Blackberry Lemonade Made With Equal® 0 Calorie Sweetener

Karen · 29 Comments

I received compensation from Equal® for this post.

Blackberry Lemonade with Equal® Sweetener

Nothing says “summer” quite like lemonade. If you’re like me, though, and have Diabetes, then you have to watch the sugars that you take in each day in your food and drink. For that reason, I usually drink water every day. Sometimes, though, I get a craving for some other drink. I loved lemonade when I was a kid, and my mother sometimes made it for us. Back then, Mama made our lemonade with sugar. Now that I am an adult, and have to cut down on sugar due to my diabetes, if I make a sweetened drink at home, I have to use a sweetener like Equal® 0 Calorie Sweetener.

The people at Equal® sent me a great box full of supplies for making lemonade using Equal® 0 Calorie Sweetener. When I opened up the box, here is what I found inside:

An Equal® mason jar style plastic drinking glass.
Skinny Pop Popcorn
Dark Blue Folding Hand Fan
Joie Lemon Juicer
Tovolo King ice cube tray
Equal® Product:
1. 115-count box of packets
2. Equal® 4 oz spoonful
Blackberry Sparkling Recipe Card from The Diabetic Chef Chef Chris Smith
Equal® Recipe Guide Booklet
Equal® iPad holder (it opens up to hold an iPad or a cook book)
An Equal® products fact sheet.

Back in 1965, when a scientist researcher at G.D. Searle and Company licked his finger to pick up a piece of paper, he discovered a sweet, attractive tast. He had inadvertently discovered aspartame, an ingredient that would revolutionize the “sweetener” category. For more than 30 years, Equal® 0-Calorie Sweetener has offered a great tasting sugar substitute in the trusted “blue” packet.

Now, Equal 0-Calorie Sweetener is available in packets; Equal Spoonful; and Equal Tablets. One packet of Equal measures like two teaspoons of sugar. Equal Spoonful measures cup for cup like sugar, making it perfect for use in recipes. Equal Tablets provide on-the-go convenience.

Aspartame and acesulfame potassium, Equal’s sweetening ingredients, have been tested in hundreds of scientific studies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, and the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food have affirmed these ingredients’ safety. Equal helps maintain a balanced diet, is suitable for people living with diabetes, and has been a long-time sponsor of the American Diabetes Association.

Sparkling Fresh Lemonade With Blackberries Recipe

1 1/2 cups sparkling water

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)

2 1/2 Tbsp Equal® Spoonful or

4 packets Equal® Sweetener

12 fresh blackberries, froze

Ice as needed

Fresh mint sprigs and lemon slices for garnish, optional

Stir sparkling water, lemon juice, and Equal until combined. Place 6 blackberries and ice cubes in 2 tall glasses. Divide the mixture between the glasses and serve. Garnish each glass with mint and fresh lemon slices, if desired.

You can find Equal® 0-Calorie Sweetener in most grocery stores.

One lucky reader of Fabgrandma will win a prize pack like the one I received. To enter, use the Giveaway Tools form

Entry -Form

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Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Cake With Glutino Gluten Free Mix

Karen · 9 Comments

I am a Glutino Vip Blogger and received product from Glutino for this post.

Ohm my goodness. I had a lot of fun with my box of goodies from Glutino this month. I decided to make a Gluten Free Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Cake to have on hand for deserts this week.

It was very simple and easy to make, but it looks like it took hours. It really is pretty enough to take to a party or a pot luck, too. Fabgrandpa asked me more than once, “Are you sure this is gluten free?”

Glutino Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Here’s how to make this cake:

Gluten Free Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Cake Recipe

1 box Glutino Decadent Chocolate Cake Mix

5 Tbls softened butter or margarine

2 eggs

1/2 tsp gluten free vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

1 can (12 oz.) Solo Raspberry Cake & Pie Filling

1 pint whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup sugar or Splenda

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter or margarine until light and fluffy. Add in the entire box of cake mix. Beat until it resembles crumbs. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until mixed well. Add in the sour cream and beat three minutes more.

Spray an 8″ or 9″ round cake pan lightly with oil. Pour the cake batter in the cake pan. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 40 minutes. Remove cake from oven and let cool completely. I cooled mine overnight.

Remove cake from pan and place on a cutting board. Using a piece of string or thread, cut the cake into two layers. (Place the string on the side of the cake farthest from you, and pull gently until the string comes out on the side next to you. You will have two level layers.)

To prepare the whipping cream, pour the cream into a large mixer bowl. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat on high for 3-5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the 1/3 cup of sugar or Splenda. Beat until thick and spreadable.

Place one of the cake layers on a cake plate. Spread with Raspberry Cake & Pie Filling. Spread half of the whipped cream over the raspberry filling. Top with the second layer. Spread with remaining raspberry filling, then with the remaining whipped cream. Keep this cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

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Cool Off And Satisfy Your Taste Buds With Vintage Sparkling Water

Karen · 3 Comments

It has been soooo hot and dry here in Georgia for at least a month. It might rain a bit, but as soon as it stops, the atmosphere is just muggy. And hot! That leaves us here in the west Georgia area searching for something cool and delicious to help us cool off. Enter Vintage Sparkling Water. With six flavors from which to choose, these flavored sparkling or flavored seltzer waters are made with natural flavors, and are a naturally gluten free food.They also contain no high fructose corn syrup and are calorie free. This makes them just about perfect for anyone, no matter what your tastes are.

Vintage Sparkling Water on the shelf at Kroger

While I was shopping at Kroger in Cedartown, I was able to find all six flavors of Vintage Sparkling Waters in the soda aisle. It was hard to decide between Pink Grapefruit, Coconut, Lemon, Lime, Original, and Cucumber Melon. I decided on the Coconut Flavor. It was on the bottom shelf, so I had to ask someone to help me pick them up. A pack of 12 cans retails for $3.99. I decided that I was going to make a Basil Strawberry Coconut Cooler so I headed over to the produce section to pick up some strawberries.

As as I got home, after I put the groceries away, I was ready to whip up my cooler. It was hotter than hot out there that day, and I was just wanting to sit down, put my feet up, and sip on a cool, refreshing drink. The recipe is really simple. I just put a cup of hulled strawberries, 2 teaspoons of sugar, a handful of ice cubes, a few basil leaves from my garden, and a cup of Coconut Vintage Sparkling Water into the blender, and started it on the “crush ice” setting. After a few seconds on crush, I switched to “puree”. When it was done, I poured into one of my white wine glasses, garnished with a sprig of basil. Delicious! You can find more recipes for using Vintage Sparkling Water here.

Vintage Sparkling Water with strawberries and basil.

Right now, Vintage Sparkling Water is running a contest. To enter, you submit a recipe using Vintage Sparkling Water or Vintage Seltzer Water. The prize is $500 and a year supply of Vintage Water. To keep up to date with everything Vintage, sign up for their newsletter, where you’ll find product information, recipes, coupons, and more. And, click here to find nutrition information for Vintage Waters. Oh, and if you add a photo to Instagram and tag it with #DrinkVintage, you could be featured on the Vintage website or get a coupon.

Coconut Strawberry Basil Cooler using Vintage Coconut Sparkling Water.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Roasted Garlic Meatloaf With Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing From Wal-Mart

Karen · 8 Comments

This post is brought to you by DataRank and Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing. All opinions are mine, and so is the recipe.

Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing new flavors!

We went to Wal-Mart the other day to do some shopping and look for the new Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing flavors. As soon as we got there, we actually found a handicapped parking space right up front, which almost never happens. We had just a few things on our list: fruit, yogurt, eggs, butter, oatmeal, a couple of toiletry items, and of course, the Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing. Their new flavors include Roasted Garlic, Sweet Chili, Avocado, Cucumber, and Cucumber Lite. We opted to get the Roasted Garlic flavor.

When we got home with our groceries, I decided to make a meatloaf for dinner. As I started getting the ingredients ready for the meatloaf, I thought that that new Hidden Valley Ranch Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing would make this meatloaf taste so good. I love meatloaf, and ever since I started using my mother’s recipe it has always turned out really good.As a matter of fact, I won second place in a meatloaf cook-off several years ago using her recipe. I would have won first place, but my husband was one of the judges and he declined to vote for my meatloaf, just to be fair. I have never altered the ingredients before in the thirty or more years that I have been using that particular recipe. But, it calls for sage, and I had a whole lot of fresh basil in my little porch garden that I thought “Hmmm, the Roasted Garlic would taste sooo good with some of that fresh basil.” So, here is my new version of Mama’s Meatloaf.

Hidden Valley Ranch Roasted Garlic and Basil Meatloaf

So, just in case you think you might want to make my new meatloaf, here is the recipe. Be prepared for it to disappear in no time at all!

hidden valley ranch roasted garlic salad dressing used in meatloaf recipe — Roasted Garlic and Basil Meatloaf

Roasted Garlic and Basil Meatloaf

1.5 lbs ground beef

3/4 cup oatmeal (use certified gluten free for a gluten free meatloaf)

1/2 Hidden Valley Ranch Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 bunch green onions

1 TBS. Worchestershire Sauce

1/2 tst dry mustard

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 stem fresh basil

olive oil spray

Chop the green onions. Pick the basil leaves off of the stems and shred finely with a sharp knife, or use an herb scissor to cut them up. Place all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix together with your hands until all ingredients are incorporated well. Shape into a rectangle. Spray an 8″X 8″ disposable aluminum pan with olive oil spray. Place the meatloaf rectangle in the pan, and shape as needed into a rectangle that is flat on top.

Topping for meatloaf:

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup mustard

1/4 cup brown sugar

Mix all ingredients well, and spread over top of the meatloaf.

Place the meatloaf in a 350° oven, and bake for 90 minutes. Let the meatloaf rest for 10 mintues before slicing and serving.

This meatloaf was so good! We had meatloaf sandwiches the next day, and then a second round of meatloaf for dinner another night.

I served my Roasted Garlic and Basil Meatloaf with corn and spinach.

The Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressings are Gluten Free, so anyone who has to eat a gluten free diet can get the great taste, too! What would you make using one of the new flavors of Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing?

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Recipe: Crispy Fried Eggplant

Karen · 20 Comments

todays harvest — Today’s harvest from my porch garden.

Today was a good day for my little garden. I harvested a beautiful eggplant, several tomatoes, an ugly little cucumber, some parsley, and some basil. I decided to fry up the eggplant for our dinner tonight. It was served with a caprese salad made with the tomatoes, some of the fresh basil, and some fresh mozzarella I had in the fridge; and some sweet Italian sausages. The combination made an awesome meal. Here is my recipe for the fried eggplant.

Crispy Fried Eggplant

1 medium eggplant

1 stem of fresh basil

1 stem of fresh parsley

1 cup of flower (this can be wheat flour or gluten free flour like Glutino Gluten Free Baking Mix)

1/2 cup of milk (cow’s milk or coconut, soy, almond, or hemp milk, unsweetened)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/3 cup cooking oil (I used a canola-olive oil-grapeseed oil blend)

Peel the eggplant, and slice into half inch slices. Place the flour in a shallow dish, like a pie pan, add sea salt and pepper, and mix well. Pick the basil and parsley leaves off of stems, and chop them fine with a butcher knife. I usually keep chopping until the pieces are quite small. Mix the chopped basil and parsley into the flour. Pour the milk into a bowl large enough for the eggplant slices to fit into. A cereal bowl is about the right size.

Put the eggplant slices one at a time into the flour mix, and coat all sides with the flour, set aside until all of the slices are coated with the flour. Then, take the eggplant slices one at a time, and dip into the milk, making sure all sides are wet. Dredge the slice in the flour mix again, and set aside. Continue until all the slices are dipped in the milk, and then covered again with the flour mix.

Add the cooking oil to a large skillet, and heat until hot. Place the coated eggplant slices into the hot oil, and cook on one side for about three minutes. Turn the slices over, and cook another three minutes, or until golden brown. I usually turn them over once more to make sure both sides are browned. Cook on the other side about 1 or 2 minutes more. Once the slices are golden brown, take them out of the oil and place on a platter lined with paper towels to drain off excess oil. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

Crispy Fried Eggplant is delicious! The basil and parsley in the coating adds just the right flavor.

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