It’s not sticky like caramel corn, but it is a little crunchy, a little sweet, and a little salty. It’s gluten-free and dairy-free (lactose-free and casein-free, too!). Kids and adults are going to LOVE this. I make a big batch because it disappears so quickly.

Caramel Corn Puffs Recipe

Ingredients

12 oz. (2 pkgs) plain, unsweetened whole grain Puffed Corn
1 Cup (2 sticks) Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
1- 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar, lightly packed
1/2 Cup Agave or Honey
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Sea Salt, finely ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250º F.
2. Pour plain Corn Puffs into a large roasting pan, or onto two large baking sheets with sides, and set aside.
3. In a 3- or 4-quart sauce pan, combine vegan buttery sticks, brown sugar, and agave syrup. Over medium-high heat, bring it to a boil and and let it continue to boil for 5 minutes.
4. Carefully pour in the vanilla and baking soda. This will cause it to bubble up, so watch it carefully and stir quickly.
5. Remove it from the heat and quickly pour the mixture over the corn puffs in the roasting pan. Gently stir the corn puffs so that all are covered with the caramel mixture.
6. Put the corn puffs in the oven and bake at 250º F for a total of 60 min, taking it out of the oven and stirring every 15 minutes to make sure every piece gets baked evenly.
7. After 60 minutes, remove from the oven and sprinkle sea salt on the corn puffs while they’re still warm. Stir, cool, and enjoy!

Additional Comments

• You can store this in airtight containers on the counter for a week, without losing any quality of taste. (Maybe longer, but that is as long as I can keep it on the counter without eating every last piece.)
• Make sure the puffed corn you purchase is gluten-free. Some brands may have cross-contamination warnings.
• Add some nuts, or other ingredients to make it a trail-mix treat.

I’ve had a few questions about the Rainbow Apple Salad I included in my menu last week, so I thought I would share the recipe.

Inspired by Debbi’s recipe for Broccoli Apple Slaw, I threw together a salad after seeing a bag of Rainbow Salad at Wegmans. I have really been enjoying the salad for lunches during the week. The recipe keeps evolving, but this is what I’m enjoying right now.

Rainbow Apple Salad

Ingredients:

• 6-8 Cups Shredded, or julienned, Vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, purple cabbage and carrots (I purchase a 10 oz. bag of Wegman’s Rainbow Salad and add some matchstick carrots.)
• 2 large crisp and sweet apples, cored and chopped (about 4 cups)
• 1 Cup dried Cranberries
• 1/2 Cup Poppyseed dressing (Read the ingredients to make sure it’s gluten-free.)
• 1/2 Cup chopped nuts or sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine the vegetables, apples, and cranberries.
2. Pour the dressing on the salad, and toss to evenly coat the salad.
3. If desired, sprinkle nuts or sunflower seeds on top.

Review More Great Recipes

Find more gluten-free recipes at Gluten-Free Wednesdays at The Gluten-Free Homemaker.
Find more healthy recipes at Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

I’ve already shared the rubber duckies and ghosts I’ve made in the past. Now, I’m sharing some that are more appropriate for this season: Snowmen and Christmas Trees!

Basic Meringue Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites (at room temperature)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
food coloring (optional)
1/2 Cup superfine sugar
candy for decorating (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200° F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites until they become foamy little bubbles. Add the cream of tartar, almond extract, and food coloring. Continue beating at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add in the sugar while beating until smooth and glossy and stiff peaks form.
3. Fill a piping bag with open or large round tip. (I used Wilton disposable decorating bags.) If you don’t have these, you can simply use a zip-style plastic bag and cut the tip off a corner to squeeze out the meringue.
4. Next add candy to finish the look.
5. Place in the oven and bake for 2-3 hours. (Smaller, thinner cookies will bake/dry out in 2 hours. Larger, fluffier cookies will need more time or they will be sticky on the bottom.)
6. Let them cool on the cookie sheets.
7. Place them on a plate to serve, or store in an airtight container.

Snowman Notes:

• For the snowmen, I started by squeezing out a round shape of meringue for the head then moved to the middle and bottom to finish it.
• I used Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips for the eyes and buttons, and cut up Tootsie Roll Midgees for the boots. I’m thinking now that I should’ve cut out some hats, too. What would Frosty be without a hat?
• For the “carrot” nose on the snowmen, I used orange colored Jimmies.
• I was able to make 15 snowmen from one recipe.

Christmas Tree Notes:

• For the Christmas Trees, I started squeezing out the meringue at the top of the tree. Then, I made diagonal zigzags to finish the shape.
• I tried two different sprinkles for the ornaments/lights on the trees – Rainbow Sprinkles and Rainbow Sparkling Sugar. I think I like them best plain.
• For the star/diamond on the top of the tree, I didn’t have any star-shaped candies or sprinkles. Instead I cut mini marshmallows into thirds then covered with yellow sugar for the star/diamond on the tree. I gave the ends a little squeeze to make them diamond-shaped.
• My kids thought the trees needed trunks, so I cut up Tootsie Roll Midgees into quarters.
• I was able to make 20 Christmas Trees from one recipe.

**Be creative and use whatever extra candy you have. These Jumbo Star Sprinkles would be great to use for stars on top of the tree. You could also use mini M&Ms for the snowman buttons, or large ornaments on the trees.

More Meringue Cookie Recipes:

• Carol’s Chocolate Cherry Cloud Cookies at Simply…Gluten-Free
• Shirley’s Coconut Meringue Cookies at Gluten Free Easily
• Zoe’s Crispy Crunchy Meringue Cookies made with honey instead of sugar at Z’s Cup of Tea
• Celiac Family’s Rubber Duckies Meringue Cookies and Raspberry Divinity Tarts
• Celiac Family’s Ghost Meringue Cookies

Ghost Meringue Cookies

Raspberry Divinity Tarts

Rubber Duckie Cookies

Review Even More Great Recipes at: 

• Gluten-Free Wednesdays at The Gluten-Free Homemaker where you’ll find more gluten-free recipes. The theme this month is chocolate, so you may find lots of GF chocolate recipes this week!
• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free where you’ll find more great recipes that are a little healthier.

My brother-in-law is hosting Thanksgiving at his house this year. So, for me, that means no extra housecleaning to do and no tables to set before the festive occasion. We will contribute to the feast, however, because we all like to bring something to help with the meal. I’ve confirmed that the turkey will be gluten free, but I know that not all the food will be gluten-free.

I do know that what we’ll be taking will be gluten free. We’ll take a raw vegetable platter with hummus that can double as an appetizer and as a vegetable side dish if necessary. My husband will be making a big pot of his famous garlic mashed potatoes to take. And, I’ll be making desserts to share with everyone. I’m going to make my grandmother’s recipe for pumpkin pie using Annalise Roberts’s recipe for gluten-free crust. I’m also going to make a dairy-free chocolate cream pie. I’ve seen two recipes recently that got my attention: Carol’s recipe at Simply…Gluten-Free and Shirley’s recipe at Gluten Free Easily. I think I’ll also make some mini pumpkin muffins with a cream cheese frosting for the kids.

So that’s how we’ll be managing our Thanksgiving feast with friends and family. Gluten-free turkey, mashed potatoes, raw vegetables, and desserts will be plenty to fill us up. There will probably be other dishes we can eat as well, but as long as I know we have the basics covered, all will be good. We can feel comfortable knowing that we’re eating safely and just be thankful to enjoy the company of good friends and family.

For more ideas of gluten-free dishes for Thanksgiving, you can check some of these past posts at Celiac Family:

• Thanksgiving roundup of recipes from last year
• Sweet Potato Casserole with a marshmallow and crunchy pecan topping
• Broccoli Mushroom Bake Casserole
• Quinoa with Broccoli and Mushrooms

Sweet Potato Casserole

Broccoli Mushroom Casserole

Quinoa, Broccoli, Mushrooms

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And don’t forget to check out the Gluten-Free Menu Swap roundup below. With Thanksgiving as the theme this week, there are sure to be plenty of more ideas for eating gluten free during the yearly food event.

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

Indian Chicken with Quinoa

Marinated Flank Steak

Celiac Family’s Menu This Week:

Monday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches with French Fries and Corn. I’ve got pulled pork in the freezer, so this will be an easy night.

Tuesday – Eating Out. The kids still haven’t gotten to eat out because they keep taking turns being sick. So, we’ll try again.

Wednesday – Pizza. I’ll use Bob’s Red Mill pizza mix for the crust and top with sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, and black olives.

Thursday - Thanksgiving. We’ll be contributing a raw vegetable platter, garlic mashed potatoes, and a few desserts.

Friday – Indian Chicken with Quinoa

Saturday - Flank Steak with Baked Sweet Potatoes and Spinach Salad

Sunday – Leftover Buffet

Gluten Free Menu Swap Roundup

Emily at Our Frugal Happy Life is responsible for the dinner rolls and a pumpkin dessert for Thanksgiving at her in-law’s. She’s also making Cheeseburger Rice, Chicken and Veggie Skillet, and Ranch Chicken this week. And, like so many of us this week, leftovers will also be on her menu.

Cheryl at Gluten Free Goodness is taking it easy this year for Thanksgiving with a quiet evening at home. She hasn’t finalized plans for a Thanksgiving meal, but it sounds like she may be making applesauce. Also on her menu this week is Curried Chicken and Cauliflower and Beef Stew. In case you missed it earlier this month, Cheryl posted a list of gluten-free turkeys and a roundup to help with your Thanksgiving plans.

Wendy at Celiacs in the House has her Thanksgiving meal all planned, complete with links to recipes for Diane’s Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Shirley’s Crustless Pumpkin Pie, Carol’s Soft Dinner Rolls, and more. The remainder of her week includes Steak, Shelby’s Spicy Chicken, Cauliflower and Mushroom Soup, and Curried Turkey Soup.

Lisa at Extraordinary Life posted her traditional Thanksgiving Menu earlier this week. She includes links to her recipes for Stuffing, Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Candied Yams, and more. This week, she’s has on her menu Pot Roast, Chili, and burgers. And for the after-Thanksgiving leftovers: Open-faced Hot Turkey Sandwiches and Turkey Noodle Soup.

Paige at Not Missing a Thing! shares her tricks (and links to recipes) for preparing a gluten-free and dairy-free Thanksgiving dinner. Her pie crust looks pretty amazing. The rest of her week includes Sonora Enchiladas, Gina Chicken over Rice, and Spaghetti and Meatballs.

Angela at Angela’s Kitchen has a busy week of cooking ahead. Fortunately, she has three kids out of school and ready to help! She has a great plan for a delicious gluten-free and dairy-free Thanksgiving menu including Roast Maple Turkey, Gravy, Roasted Garlic-Sage and Sausage Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, and more. The rest of her week looks just as busy, and just as yummy: Thai Thighs, Apple Sausage Quiche, and Turkey Wild Rice Soup to name just a few of the meals she has planned.

Debbi at Debbi Does Dinner Healthy & Low Calorie is joining us this week for the first time. She is starting her week with Sweet and Sour Chicken and ending the week with French Onion Risotto and Alta’s Shepherd’s Pie with Pumpkin Souffle. Debbi also has links to recipes for a Sweet Potato Hummus and a Crockpot Pumpkin Oatmeal that sound wonderful. Click over to Debbi’s site to say hello and check out what more is on her menu this week.

Thanks to everyone for joining the GF Menu Swap this week. Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving! Don’t forget next week’s menu swap will be at Our Frugal Happy Life with Twist on Pizza as the theme.

Want to join Gluten-Free Menu Swap?

• For this week’s roundup, email your menu link to me at celiacfamily[AT]gmail[DOT]com. Or, simply put your menu link in the comments below.
• For next week’s roundup, email the link of your menu plan to Emily at Our Frugal Happy Life.
• I’ve updated the Gluten-Free Menu Swap Page with the current schedule of themes and hosts. If you’d like to host a future week, please send me an email (celiacfamily[AT]gmail[DOT]com) with your preferred date and theme.

Need more menu ideas?

• Laura at OrgJunkie.com hosts Menu Plan Monday every week. You’ll find links to hundreds of meal plans (not necessarily gluten-free) there.
• Or, check out some of my past menu plans.

I made a batch of these mini muffins a few weeks ago for two reasons. One, I was getting bored with our breakfast routine. And two, I thought I would freeze some for school mornings when I needed to serve a quick breakfast. Well, I never got around to freezing them because they disappeared so quickly. So, the next week I made another batch, and still couldn’t get them into the freezer fast enough. The kids gobbled them up for breakfast and after-school snacks. In two days they were gone. So, I guess I’m going to have to bake more, and double the recipe next time.

Chocolate Chip Banana Mini Muffins

Ingredients:

1 Cup mashed, ripe Bananas (about 2 bananas)
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Coconut Nectar (or other sweetener)
1/4 Cup Grapeseed Oil (or other cooking oil)
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Cups (9 oz./250 g) Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup mini Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Prepare a Mini Muffin Pan by spraying with oil, or using paper liners.
2. Mash bananas in a mixing bowl. Add eggs, coconut nectar, oil, and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined.
3. Add Pamela’s Baking Mix and salt, and continue to beat.
4. Mix in the chocolate chips.
5. Drop scoops of about 1-1/2 Tbsp of batter into the prepared muffin pan, or until each cup is about 2/3 full.
6. Bake at 375° F for 10 minutes.
7. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then finish cooling directly on a wire rack.

Additional Notes:

•  Makes about 3 dozen mini-muffins, depending on how full you fill the cups.
• For simplicity, I used Pamela’s Baking Mix for the flour. Pamela’s mix already contains baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. So, if you’re going to attempt this recipe with other flours, I would suggest adding a little bit of each of those.
• I have now made this recipe several times using different sweeteners – honey, coconut nectar, and agave. I’m happy to say that they all turned out delicious. I’m sure that sugar would work, too, but I didn’t even feel the need to try it.
• If your family doesn’t eat them as quickly as mine, put them in a sealed container or bag in the freezer. Because they’re small, they thaw quickly on the counter. Or, just pop them into the microwave for a warm treat.

When I was speaking with my daughter’s teacher last week, she told me that she likes to use play dough in the classroom. I told her that it would be a problem for my daughter, but that I’d be happy to make some gluten-free play dough for the class. For some classes in the past, I’ve purchased pre-made play dough, and my kids have just used their own personal supply of gluten-free play dough. But, I’ve also made play dough for the whole class to use. I’ve done well with the Kool Aid recipe below without problems, but I didn’t have the Kool Aid needed. And, I often had to add a lot of cornstarch to it after it cooked.

I decided to adjust the recipe to make it easier and faster to make. After one completely disastrous attempt, I came up with a recipe that was absolutely the easiest and fastest I’ve ever made. I kept Cream of Tartar in the recipe, but found that Xanthan Gum wasn’t needed. Five minutes of measuring and mixing, three minutes of cooking, and another five minutes of kneading in the color resulted in hours of fun! And, the texture was perfect – just like you would expect homemade play dough to be.

Easiest Gluten-Free Play Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Cup White Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
1/2 Cup Salt
1 Tbsp Cream of Tartar
1-1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 Cup Water, hot but not boiling
Food Coloring, as desired

Directions:

1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium pot.
2. Add the vegetable oil, then the water, and continue to mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Heat the pot on the stove over low heat for about 3 minutes. I like to stir frequently with a silicone spatula.
4. When the dough starts to pull away from the sides easily, turn out the dough onto parchment paper. Let it cool briefly until you can work it with your hands.
5. Knead food coloring into the dough until you get the color you desire.

Additional Notes:

• Don’t overcook the dough. It shouldn’t need more than five minutes.
• To add food coloring, I use the method I’ve used since I was a kid: Using your thumbs, make a well in the middle of the ball of dough and drop the food coloring into the well. Close up the well with the outside dough, keeping the food coloring in the middle of the ball. Then, carefully begin kneading it until the color is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
• You don’t have to use the parchment paper. The dough shouldn’t be sticky. I use the parchment paper to simply keep residue and food coloring off my counter top. Wax paper or a plate would work just as well.
• If needed, adjust the texture with small amounts of water (for dry, crumbly dough) or cornstarch (for sticky dough).
• Makes about 2 cups of play dough, or about 2 baseball-size balls of dough.
• Store in tightly sealed plastic bags or containers.

_______________________________________________________________________

Original Post January 28, 2009

We’re on our second snow day at home and the kids were happy to pull out the play dough for something to do. I was amazed that it was still good. It’s been a couple months since we’ve played with it, and about 9 months since we first made it! We’ve tried several recipes for play dough, but this one is our favorite. The Kool-Aid gives it a nice scent and additional color. You can use the additional cornstarch to adjust the consistency as needed. We store different colors in zip-type plastic bags and put them all together in a plastic bucket with a lid.

Gluten-Free Play Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

2/3 Cup rice flour
1/3 Cup potato starch or cornstarch
1/3 Cup salt
2 tsp Xanthan Gum
1 Tbsp Cream of Tartar
1 pkg unsweetened Kool-Aid
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Cup warm water

Additional food coloring optional
Extra potato starch or cornstarch for kneading dough – We use a lot to get a preferred consistency.

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the rice flour, potato starch or cornstarch, salt, xanthan gum, Cream of Tartar and Kool-Aid powder.
2. Add the oil and the warm water to the flour mixture and mix well. (If you want to add food coloring, mix it first with the warm water.)
3. Heat the mixture on medium heat for about one minute or until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat.
4. Turn the dough out onto a cornstarch-floured surface or parchment paper.
5. Knead in enough potato starch until the dough is no longer sticky.
6. Store in an airtight container or bag when not in use.

Notable Links:

• Don’t want to make it? Try Colorations Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free Dough at Discount School Supply.

For the base of the cake, I used three Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mixes. I mixed them all together using the directions on the boxes. Then, I poured the batter into two Pyrex 9×13 Baking Dishes and baked both at 350° F for about 45 minutes. Each layer of the cake was made of 1.5 cake mixes. I used Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Frosting for the filling between the layers.

For the rainbow on the cake, I baked one 9-Inch Round Cake using Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix. I cut the cake in half, at a horizontal angle and then trimmed out the middle of the rainbow. I added a smaller wedge of the cake to put under the large side of the cake so the rainbow itself ended up being like a two-layer cake. Does that make sense? I know I should take pictures while I’m building and decorating cakes, but I forget. And when I do remember, I’ve got cake and frosting on my fingers.

For the frosting, I made a Buttercream Icing. Rather than using a dye to mix into the frosting, I sprayed the frosted cake with blue Spray Color. I thought the uneven coloring would look more like sky and clouds. Plus, it was faster and left fewer bowls to clean up. I used the same buttercream icing for the trim, clouds, and rainbow on the cake. Then, I sprayed the back of the rainbow cake with red coloring.

For the front of the rainbow I simply used different Colored Sugars that I carefully sprinkled on with my fingers. It’s best to do this right after you’ve frosted it, so that the frosting is still damp and sticky to keep the sugar in place. You can buy the sugars already colored, or make it yourself using granulated sugar mixed with some food coloring. I had some of each.

So there it is. Another cake decorating idea that you can do yourself, but still wow the kids.

Supplies I used:

• 2 Pyrex 9×13 Baking Dishes
• 1 Round Cake Pan (I used a 9″, but 8″ would work, too.)
• 3 Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil’s Food Cake Mixes plus added ingredients
• 1 Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix plus added ingredients
• 1 tub Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Frosting
• 1 recipe Buttercream Icing
• Color Mist Food Color Spray (blue and red)
• Frosting Bags (I like to use Wilton’s Disposable Decorating Bags, but you can easily use a plastic bag and snip off a corner.)
• Decorator Frosting Coupler and Tips- You really don’t have to use these. But I have them, so why not put them to use? I used a simple open round tip for the clouds and an open star shape for the cake trim.
• A variety of Colored Sugars

More Rainbow Cake Ideas I found Online:

• This six-layer Super Epic Rainbow Cake at Whisk Kid is a rainbow on the inside!
• These rainbow Colorburst Cupcakes at Our Best Bites are just as colorful.
• The Super-Duper Rainbow Cakes – in a Jar at off the (meat) hook would make beautiful table decorations, party favors, or gifts to give!
• A variety of decorating ideas for rainbow-theme cakes can be found at Coolest Birthday Cakes.com.

I’ve updated the Valentine Candy List. I made some changes to the list, as I did to the Halloween Candy list last October.

How I created my list. First of all, you should know that the category I put the candy in is determined by me, a concerned parent, based on reading the ingredients, allergy statements, and cross-contamination warnings on candy packages I find in the stores in our area. I also review websites for product information and contact companies if necessary. If you see a date after the product, then that is the last date I actually read the label. If there is no date, then I reviewed and/or updated the information last month. If you see any statements in quotation marks, that means I have taken the wording directly from the packaging. If, while I’m shopping, I read allergy statements that refer to other allergens, I may include them in my list for people avoiding them. But, since I am concerned solely with gluten, I don’t always list all of the allergens. It’s always best if you can check the ingredients of the candy yourself because it can vary if they were packaged or manufactured in different facilities or on different dates. But let’s face it, there is a lot of different candy out there. So, I hope this helps some of you.

I’ve reorganized the Valentine Candy List like the Halloween Candy List. The first, green section is candy that I believe to be safe for people avoiding gluten. I didn’t find any questionable ingredients on the labels, nor did I find cross-contamination warnings. Or, I was able to confirm with the company through their website or emails that the candy is safe. The second section I created is for questionable candies. These are candies that appear to have no gluten in the ingredients. However, I feel uncertain about its gluten status, or the candy packaging may include a statement that warns of possible cross-contamination with gluten. Whatever the case, I have listed the reason for being in this section so you can determine what you are comfortable eating. I personally do not eat any candy unless it is in the safe, green section. The last, red section is for the Unsafe Candy. This is the candy that I would tell anyone on a gluten-free diet to avoid. The packaging labels clearly state that the candy has gluten in the ingredients.

Now, my disclosure statement: I’m not a doctor, nor an expert about candy or gluten. I’m simply someone who has been trying to keep gluten out of my family’s diet for 5+ years. I hope that the information I’ve provided helps other families, too. If you find additions or corrections to make to the list, please put them in the comments so that others may benefit from the information. Thanks. Enjoy your Valentine’s Day Candy!

Gluten-Free (Safe) Candy and Treats

• 3 Musketeers cherry with dark chocolate mini’s
• Andes creme de menthe Valentine Sweet Heart Assortment
• Albert’s Luv Pops, Sweet Swirl Suckers, and Heart Blossoms
• Almond Joy snack size
  
• Animal Planet fruit-flavored lollipops (Jan. 2010)
• Baby Ruth
• Betty Crocker Valentine Fruit by the Foot – “Gluten Free” (Jan. 2010)
• Bottle Caps (Wonka)
• Butterfinger hearts – contains peanuts. “Made on equipment that also processes nuts.”
• Cella’s Cherries, milk chocolate covered cherries
  
• Charms Blow Pops and Valentine Pops
  
• Charms Zip-a-dee mini pops
  
• DeMets Turtles – “Contains pecan, milk and soy ingredients. Made on equipment that also processes other nuts and peanuts.”
  
• Disney Lollipop Rings -Flix Candy (Jan. 2010)
• Disney lollipops packaged with Valentine cards (including Tinkerbell, Cars, and Toy Story characters) The ones I found this year did not have any warning of gluten. Last year’s packages had the following statement: “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat and egg products.”
• Dots (including Valentine Dots)
  
• Dove Heart Promises, including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, dark chocolate and cherry swirl, and caramel candy
• Dum-Dums lollipops “Gluten Free”
• Everlasting Gobstopper Heartbreakers (Wonka)
  
• Florida’s Natural Au’some Sour String, Nuggets, and Stiks
• Fun Dips (Wonka)
• Galerie Candy Jewelry Making Kit (Jan. 2010)
• Galerie Diamond Ring with candy treats (Jan. 2010)
• Galerie Marshmallow Cupcake lollipops
• Ghirardelli chocolate squares, including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, caramel and dark chocolate with raspberry
• Hershey Bliss chocolates including dark chocolate, milk chocolate, milk chocolate with meltaway centers, and milk chocolate with raspberry meltaway centers “Manufactured on the same equipment that processes peanuts and tree nuts.”
• Hershey Kisses (includes milk chocolate, filled with caramel, cherry cordial creme, with almonds, Hugs, Hugs raspberry, and Valentine Card Kits) – These appear to be gluten-free, and my family has never noticed a reaction to eating them. However, I have gotten emails and comments from several people who say they have had reactions from eating them.
• Hot Tamales – “Gluten Free”
• Hershey’s Pot of Gold, including Premium Chocolates, Pecan Caramel Clusters, and Truffles
• Hubba Bubba Max bubble gum, and bubble tape (Jan. 2010)
• iCarly Valentine Candy Card Kit (cards and lollipops)
• Jelly Belly conversation beans
• Jolly Rancher candy (including heart-shaped lollipops)
• Juicee Gummee Baby Bears (Feb. 2009)
• Junior Mints Heart-Shaped
• Laffy Taffy, small and long sticks (Wonka)
• Life Savers hard candy and lollipops, including Candy and Card Valentine Pack
• Life Savers gummy candy (including Gummies, Big Ring Gummies, Candy and Card Valentine Pack)
• The Madelaine Chocolate Company milk chocolate hearts
  
• Market Pantry’s Valentine Fruit Snacks (distributed by Target)
• Marvel lollipops (as found Feb. 2009)
• M&Ms – fun size and mini’s packages, including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peanuts and peanut butter. (Do not eat the M&M Pretzel variety.)
• Mounds snack size
  
• Palmer foil-wrapped chocolate hearts
• Peeps marshmallow shapes, hearts and I?U, including Vanilla Crème, Raspberry, Dark or Milk Chocolate Covered, and Sugar-Free – “Gluten Free”
• PEZ
• Pixy Stix (Wonka)
• Pop Rocks popping candy (Jan. 2010)
• Reese’s peanut butter cups, snack-size treats, miniatures, and peanut butter hearts (but not the individually, foil-wrapped small hearts)
• Reese’s Pieces
• Skittles, including Candy ‘n Stickers Valentine Exchange Packs – “Gluten Free”
• Smarties Valentine Love Hearts candy rolls “Contains none of the following: gluten (from wheat, barley, oats and rye), milk, egg, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts or soybeans.”
• Snickers fun-size and mini’s
• Starburst, including Fave Reds and Gummibursts – “Gluten-Free”
• Sunny Seed Drops candy chocolate covered sunflower seeds – “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts/nuts.”
• Surf Sweets Gummy candy – “Gluten Free”
  
• Sweetheart Conversation Hearts including chocolate flavored hearts, large hearts, Dazzled Tarts, Twilight Saga New Moon Forbidden Fruits heart packages, and heart bracelet packages (Necco) [The large packages I found looked fine. However, I found some small boxes of these that had cross-contamination warnings.]
• Toblerone
• Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops (including snack bars, and vanilla and cherry fruit rolls)
• Warheads Extreme Sour candy
• York Peppermint Pattie Hearts

Use Caution with the following treats. (May contain traces of gluten.)

• Air Heads “Manufactured in a facility that processes wheat flour.”
• All Brach’s candy I found, including conversation hearts, state “Packaged on equipment that also packages products containing traces of milk, egg, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts and/or soy protein.”
• Bubblicious Bites “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat and eggs.”
• Choxie chocolate candy “May contain tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and egg.” (Jan. 2010)
• Disney lollipops packaged with Valentine cards (including Tinkerbell, Cars, and Toy Story characters) The ones I found this year did not have any warning of gluten. Last year’s packages had the following statement: “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat and egg products.”
• Dove milk chocolate Rose on a stick – no gluten listed in ingredients; however, it does state “Allergy Information: May contain peanuts, tree nuts, and wheat.”
• Dove dark chocolate raspberry Truffle Hearts – no gluten listed in ingredients; however, it does state “Allergy Information: May contain peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and eggs.”
• Godiva chocolates including the Gems – All Godiva packaged products I have found, as well as the chocolates displayed in their stores, have a warning: “May contain tree nuts, peanuts and wheat.”
• Guylian chocolates – “May contain traces of nuts and gluten.”
• Hershey’s Hearts Assortment, including milk chocolate, special dark, and extra creamy milk chocolate seem to be gluten-free. However, the Reese’s peanut butter hearts that may be in the same package with these, are NOT gluten-free.
• Hershey Kisses (includes milk chocolate, filled with caramel, cherry cordial creme, with almonds, Hugs, Hugs raspberry, and Valentine Card Kits) – These appear to be gluten-free, and my family has never noticed a reaction to eating them. However, I have gotten emails and comments from several people who say they have had reactions from eating them.
• Hollow Milk Chocolate Bear (http://www.barry-callebaut.com/) “Contains milk and soy. Made in a facility which also processes wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and eggs.”
• Jube Jel Cherry Hearts (Brach’s cinnamon jelly hearts) – “Allergen Information: “Milk, egg, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and soy may be present in the manufacturing or packaging area.”
• Littlest Pet Shop lollipops “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat (Jan. 2010)
• Love Duck with conversation heart candy (found at Target) “May contain milk, soy, peanut, tree nuts, wheat and egg.” (Jan. 2010)
• Nerds, boxes and ropes (Wonka) “Made in a facility that also processes wheat and egg.”
• Russel Stover chocolates – Every package I found had a cross contamination warning, whether it had gluten or not in the ingredients. “Products have been produced on shared equipment with peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and wheat.”
• Sassy Hearts treat packs (Brach’s) – “Allergen Information: Milk, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and fish may be present in the manufacturing or packaging area.”
• Spongebob Squarepants Heart Shaped Gummy Krabby Patties – “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, wheat and eggs.”
• Spongebob Squarepants lollipops “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat and egg products.” (Jan. 2010)
• Sweetheart Conversation Hearts including chocolate flavored hearts, large hearts, Dazzled Tarts, Twilight Saga New Moon Forbidden Fruits heart packages, and heart bracelet packages (Necco) [The large packages I found looked fine. However, I found some small boxes of these that had cross-contamination warnings.]
• SweeTart Hearts (Wonka) “Made in a facility that also processes egg and wheat.”
• Treat Street Google Critters – “Processed in a facility which also processes milk, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, soy protein, eggs.”
• Whitman’s Chocolates – “Products have been produced on shared equipment with tree nuts, eggs, and wheat.”
• Wonka Valentine Mix Ups – Bottle Caps and Laffy Taffy seem to be gluten-free, however the Nerds in these packages have a cross-contamination statement that states “Made in a facility that also processes wheat and egg.”
• Wild About You Chocolate Decorative Hearts – “Made in a facility which also processes wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and egg.”

Unsafe Candy and Treats (Do not eat the following treats if you cannot tolerate gluten in your diet.)

• Any chocolate candy with crisps is likely to have wheat flour or barley malt, so check carefully.
• Crunch (Nestle) snack-size and hearts contains “barley malt“; “Made on equipment that also processes peanuts, nuts and wheat.”
• Disney Princesses Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.” (Jan. 2010)
• Dora and Diego Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.” (Jan. 2010)
• Ferrero Rocher contains “wheat flour.”
• Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Premium Assorted Chocolates in a heart box – contains “barley malt”
• Harry London assorted chocolates – Contains “wheat flour, gluten”
• Hershey’s Miniatures “Contains malt.”
• Hershey’s Cookies ‘n Crème snack size treats – contains “wheat flour”
• Kit Kat contains “wheat flour“
• Lindt chocolate candy contains “barley malt powder“
• Reese’s peanut butter filled chocolate hearts (this refers only to the small, individually foil-wrapped hearts) Contains “wheat flour.”
• M&M’s pretzel candies contain “wheat flour, malt”
• Spongebob Squarepants Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.”
• SweeTart Hearts Gummies contains “wheat“
• Transformer Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.” (Jan. 2010)
• Twix contains “wheat flour“
• Twizzlers cherry pull ‘n peel candy – contains “wheat flour”
• Whoppers contain “barley malt and wheat flour” and egg products.”

Didn’t find a candy on the list? I can’t possibly be prepared to know the gluten content for every candy my kids might get. When something new comes home with no ingredient label, I go to the Internet and try to look up the manufacturer online. Many will list the ingredients of their products online. But if you can’t find the list of ingredients, be sure to check out their FAQ’s (frequently asked questions) page. I often find that companies will address the gluten-free question there. And, if you’re lucky enough to have a phone number for the company, give them a call. If they can’t answer your question, then don’t eat it. Better safe than sorry, don’t you think?

Try my lists for Halloween Candy or Easter Candy.

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:

Main Ingredients:
4 large Sweet Potatoes or Yams, peeled, cooked and mashed (about 4 lbs or 8 cups)
3 Eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 TBSP Maple Syrup
3/4 Cup Almond Milk (I used vanilla flavored.)

Topping Ingredients:
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1/3 Cup Butter, melted
1 Cup Small Marshmallows

Directions:

1. Cook and peel the sweet potatoes, or yams. I like to score the skin on the yams both around the middle and lengthwise. Then I put them into boiling water and simmer until they are fork tender (about 20-30 min.).
2. While the yams are cooking, combine the first four topping ingredients with a fork and set aside.
3. When the yams are done, remove them from the heat and drain the water. Cover with cold water to cool down. If the skin hasn’t come off already, gently pull the skin off.
4. Mash the yams and add the rest of the main ingredients. Combine thoroughly. You may want to beat the ingredients together for a smoother, fluffier texture.
5. Spread the yams/sweet potato mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish. (You can cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator at this point, if you are saving for the next day.)
6. Then top the yams with the mini marshmallows and pecan mixture in alternating diagonal stripes.
7. Bake at 350° F for 30-40 minutes, or until the yams are bubbly hot and the marshmallows are lightly browned.

Additional Notes:

• To make ahead: I made this the day before Thanksgiving, skipping step 2 and ending at step 5 the first day. On the morning of Thanksgiving, I took the dish out of the refrigerator and let set on the counter while I worked on step 2 of the directions and preheated the oven. I then finished the baking with steps 6 and 7.
• If the marshmallows don’t brown after 40 minutes, put it under the broiler for a few minutes. But watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn.

Notable Links:

• I’ve linked this recipe to this week’s edition Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.
• For a savory, rather than sweet, sweet potato recipe, try Amy’s recipe for Crispy Sweet Potatoes at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

It was such a busy summer that I never got around to sharing this birthday cake idea with you. My son loves Hot Wheels! His love of cars started at a very early age, and by the time he was three years old could tell me which cars were Hot Wheels as opposed to any other brand of toy car. I created a Hot Wheels monster truck cake for him when he turned 5, so I wasn’t expecting to make another Hot Wheels cake for him this year. But, two days before his birthday, he insisted on a Hot Wheels cake. And not just a Hot Wheels cake, but a Hot Wheels race track cake. Huh? Has he been watching Ace of Cakes when I wasn’t around? I loved the creative challenge, but with only two days to figure it out, I figured he’d have to accept whatever I could come up with.

I started going through his Hot Wheels tracks for ideas. I found a fun little track that I thought would be fun to incorporate with it. But, I couldn’t remove all the track pieces from the base and support structure. As I discussed the idea with my husband, he suggested that we just use the regular flexible Hot Wheels track pieces to make our own race track. Well, they seemed a little big for it, but he convinced me he could make a support structure for it. OK. But to be a Hot Wheels track it has to have a loop, right? And wouldn’t it be fun if it went through a tunnel in the cake? So, that’s how the thoughts flowed to come up with this idea. Crazy, I know. But the kids loved it!

I didn’t get pictures of the building process. I was too busy trying to figure out what to do to stop and take a picture. And, I’m really sorry I never got a video of it working. We had to enlarge the tunnel a little, and find the right, low-profile car to make it through the tunnel. The kids at the party all enjoyed giving it a try before we cut the cake. It worked most of the time, though the car got stuck in the frosting a couple times.

More specifics:

I baked two round 9″ cakes. I used Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Cake Mixes and followed the baking directions.

I made Wilton’s recipe for Chocolate Buttercream Icing, and used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa to make it almost black (and deliciously chocolate ).

For the bottom layer cake, I cut a path for the tunnel 3/4 of the way through the middle. (At this point, it looks almost like the letter U.) Then, I frosted the top and inside the tunnel.

For the top layer cake, I cut out another path for the tunnel. Then, I placed the cake on top of the bottom layer. I had to make some adjustments for the tunnel, by cutting a little more here and there so that the cake becomes like a ramp down the middle. After testing it with the track, I frosted the top, sides and inside the tunnel.

For the side of the cake, I tried to keep the decoration simple. I used a plastic chop stick to make indentions along the side of the frosted cake to resemble tire tread.

For the flames: I used simple icing made with powdered sugar and water. (I start with 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp water and adjust as necessary.) Then I separated it into three small bowls and used food dye to create red, orange and yellow frosting. I used Wilton’s small round #3 decorating tip to outline the flames. Then, filled in with the different colors as shown in the picture. I used a small knife to spread the frosting to fill in the flames.

For the support of the track, my husband used a yard stick and a dowel rod secured with a nail. The track and clamp are all Hot Wheels pieces I drug out of the toy bin at home. The track had to be high enough to make the loop successfully. It also needed a little support in the middle of the track, so we used a straw taped to the underside of the track and top of the yard stick.

More Great Birthday Cake Ideas:

• Heidi made a show-stopping Monster Truck birthday cake at Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom.
• Heidi also made a fabulous Star Wars Clone Trooper Helmet cake you should check out.
• And, don’t miss Andrea Meyer’s Lego Star Wars Stormtropper Cake at Andrea’s Recipes.
• If you’re looking for a Cars cake, Andrea also built a great Lightning McQueen cake.

I’m also linking this post to Gluten-Free Wednesdays at The Gluten-Free Homemaker, where you’ll find lots of wonderful gluten-free recipes, reviews and ideas.