I knew I’d have to modify my mom’s recipe because I didn’t want a whole punch bowl filled with enough to serve a large party. (Without the champagne, this recipe makes a tropical juice punch that fills a 2-quart pitcher.) And while I was changing the recipe, I decided to change up some of the flavors, too. I think I’ll serve these Tropical Mimosas with my Banana Coffee Cake (regular and dairy-free) and Berry Fruit Salad. What an exquisite way to start the morning on Mother’s Day!

Tropical Mimosas

Ingredients:

2 very ripe bananas
24 oz. (3 Cups) pineapple juice
16 oz. (2 Cups) orange juice
12 oz. (1-1/2 Cups) mango nectar/juice
2 bottles of champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

Directions:

1. Add all of the ingredients, except the champagne, to a 2-quart pitcher. Using an immersible blender, thoroughly blend the bananas and juice until frothy. (If you don’t have an immersible blender, just pour it all into a regular blender to mix it.)
2. Fill a champagne flute half-way with champagne, then top with the juice.
3. To garnish, try a fresh pineapple or mango slice. Enjoy!

Additional Notes:

• For a non-alcoholic version, add the punch to Ginger Ale instead of champagne.
• Or, for a smoothie, add a cup of yogurt to the juice and give it a whirl in the blender.

Notable Links:

• The call for submissions to this month’s Go Ahead Honey It’s Gluten Free! – Breakfast in Bed
• Celiac Family’s recipe for Banana Coffee Cake – Gluten-Free
• Celiac Family’s recipe for Banana Coffee Cake – Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free
• Celiac Family’s recipe for Berry Fruit Salad
• Celiac Family’s recipe for Eggs and Hash Browns Casserole

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Chocolate Eggs in a Cookie Basket

Ingredients:

Chocolate Chip Cookie dough (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix.)
Candy-coated chocolate eggs (I used Cadbury Mini Eggs, but you can use M&M’s Chocolate Eggs, too.)

Directions:

1. Mix up chocolate chip cookie dough according to directions, and drop a large mounded tablespoon of dough into each tart impression in the pan.
2. Bake cookies in the tart pan according to the recipe directions.
3. When cooking is done, remove pan of cookies from the oven and press chocolate eggs into the center of each cookie tart. Leave in the pan for 5 minutes.
4. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cookies from the pan by grabbing the edges of the cookies and pulling out with a slight twisting motion. The pan will still be hot, so be careful not to touch it with your fingers!

Additional Notes:

• If the cookies start to come apart while trying to remove, they are probably too soft and warm. Let them cool down for a few more minutes. If the cookies won’t move at all, they are probably too cool. Set them back in the oven for a couple minutes to warm them up. They should now release easily from the pan. (I’ve never had to spray my non-stick pan, but if yours isn’t a non-stick type, you may want to use a non-stick spray before dropping the cookie dough onto the pan.)
• If you can’t get the chocolate eggs, or want to make these for another occasion, try using a different chocolate candy. These are really good with Reese’s Miniature Peanut Butter Cups or Hershey’s Kisses, too!
• One batch makes about 24.

Notable Links:

• For more gluten-free recipes, check out this week’s edition of Gluten-Free Wednesdays at The Gluten-Free Homemaker.
• For more Easter treats, take a look at Celiac Family’s Meringue Duckies and Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Irish-inspired Gluten-Free Recipes:

• Celiac Family’s Irish Potato Farls
• Irish Soda Bread
  • The Gluten-Free Goddess posted recipes for Irish Soda Bread with currants (sorghum, millet, and potato starch) and without currants (rice, sorghum, and potato starch).
  • Teri Gruss at About.com’s Gluten-Free Cooking posted a recipe for Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Irish Soda Bread using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix.
  • You can find a Gluten-Free, Corn-Free, and Casein-Free Irish Soda Bread recipe at Healthy-Family.org that uses Pamela’s Wheat-Free Bread Mix.
• Corned Beef and Cabbage
  • Alta at Tasty Eats at Home posted a recipe for cooking it in a stock pot on the stove.
  • Lynn’s Kitchen has a recipe for cooking it in a slow-cooker with a gluten-free beer.

Gluten-Free Beer Reviews:

• Celiac Family’s thoughts on GF beer.
• Switch 2 Gluten Free reviews several brands of GF beer.
• The Brew Site posts on Magners Irish Cider, Bard’s Tale, Green’s Endeavor, Green’s Quest, and Redbridge.

Some items to note: 1) Cadbury's Creme Eggs don't have gluten listed in their ingredients this year. Yay! 2) The original Reese's peanut butter eggs and even the small size do not have gluten in the ingredients. However, there is wheat flour in the the Reese's miniature candies that are foil-wrapped, including the mini Reester Bunnies. Boo!

I've done my best to make accurate updates, and will continue to do so as I find more this month. If you happen to find a mistake, or question the gluten safety of the candy, please add a comment below so everyone can read and benefit from the discussion. Thanks, and have a Happy Easter!]

So I’ve been shopping at our local discount and grocery stores for gluten-free Easter candy. You’ll find my list of Safe and Unsafe Candy below. My determination of “Safe Gluten-Free Candy” and “Unsafe Candy” is based solely on me reading package labels at the stores in my area. After each “unsafe” candy, I have noted why I chose to consider it unsafe. Whether it has gluten in the ingredients or the possibility of trace amounts due to cross-contamination,  you can decide for yourself. Please keep in mind that products do vary their packaging and labeling, so it’s always best if you read the labels yourself. However, I know sometimes that isn’t always possible, especially this time of year when our kids are going to community egg hunts. So, here’s what I found in our stores. I hope it helps and gives you peace of mind while you enjoy the “Safe” Easter candies.

Safe Gluten-Free Candy

Jelly Beans

• Gimbal’s Jelly Beans
• Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (including original and sour flavors)
• Just Born Jelly Beans (including original fruit flavored, licorice flavored (black), berry flavored, and spice flavored)
• Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans (including fruit smoothie flavors)
• Lifesaver Jellybeans
• Mike and Ike Jelly Beans
• Nerds Bumpy Jelly Beans (Wonka) (Be careful. This had cross-contamination warnings on the packages I found last year.)
• Russel Stover Pectin Jelly Beans
• Spree Jelly Beans (Cherry, Lemon and Green Apple)
• Starburst Jellybeans (original, tropical, and red fruits)
• SweeTart Jelly Beans (Be careful. This had cross-contamination warnings on the packages I found last year.)
• Teenee Beanee Jelly Beans (including Island Breeze, Americana Medley, and Country Retreat flavored packages)

Plastic Eggs Pre-filled with Candy

• Bee Flowers and Fairies Egg Hunt (includes Smarties, Super Bubble bubble gum, Taffy Werks, Jelly Bean Werks, and Lemonheads)
• Bee Sport Ball Eggs (includes Smarties, Super Bubble bubble gum, Taffy Werks, Jelly Bean Werks, and Lemonheads)
• Bee Noah’s Ark Easter Egg Hunt (includes Smarties, Super Bubble bubble gum, Taffy Werks, Jelly Bean Werks, and Lemonheads)
• Bug Collector Candy Filled Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Mmmm…Cupcakes Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Red Hots, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Peace and Love Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Red Hots, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Dress Up Candy Filled Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Farm Friends Candy Filled Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Game Time Candy Filled Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Glow in the Dark Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Red Hots, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Nighttime Candy Filled Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Outdoor Adventure Candy Filled Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Pet Shop Candy Filled Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Rainforest Candy Filled Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Speedster Cars Candy Filled Egg Hunt (includes Ferrara Pan jellybeans, Tropical Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Chewy Lemonhead and Friends, Jaw Busters)
• Wonka Egg Hunt with a Golden Egg (includes Nerds, Laffy Taffy, and SweeTarts)
• Wonka Egg Hunt Zero Gravity (includes Nerds, Laffy Taffy, and SweeTarts)
• Wonka Egg Hunt Hard 2 Find (includes Nerds, Runts, and SweeTarts)

Other Easter Candy

• Almond Joy Eggs
• Andes Creme de Menthe Thins
• Brach’s Jelly Bean Nougats
• For Butterfinger candy, look under Nestle
• Cadbury Chocolate candy manufactured by the Hershey Company in the US. 1-800-468-1714
  • Cadbury Caramello Bunnies (as found Mar. 2009)
  • Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Bunny
  • Cadbury hollow milk chocolate egg filled with Cadbury mini-eggs — No gluten ingredients are listed, however “Natural Flavors” is listed in the ingredients.
  • Cadbury mini-chocolate eggs – Royal Dark and Dairy Milk Chocolate — No gluten ingredients are listed, however “Natural Flavors” is listed in the ingredients: [Milk chocolate ingredients: "milk chocolate (sugar; milk; chocolate; cocoa butter; lactose; soy lecithin; PGPR, emulsifier; artificial and natural flavors); sugar; contains 2% or less of: cornstarch; gum acacia; artificial color (yellow 6 lake; blue 2 lake; yellow 5; blue 2; red 40); ethyl vanillin artificial flavor."]
  • Cadbury Creme Eggs — This year, the regular and mini eggs I found did not have gluten listed in the ingredients. However, “Natural Flavors” is listed in the ingredients. (Last year “Glucose (wheat)” was listed in the ingredients. Many Celiacs consider the glucose, even from wheat, to be gluten-free due to all the processing.)
  • Cadbury Caramel Eggs — This year, the regular and mini eggs I found did not have gluten listed in the ingredients. However, “Natural Flavors” is listed in the ingredients. (Last year “Glucose (wheat)” was listed in the ingredients. Many Celiacs consider the glucose, even from wheat, to be gluten-free due to all the processing.)
  • Cadbury Orange Creme Eggs
• Carousel Bubble Gum Eggs
• Carousel Easter Egg Surprise Lollipops (as found Mar. 2009)
• Charms Blow Pops and Blow Pop Minis
• Cry Baby Eggs
• Dairy Good Easter bunnies (chocolate flavored, foil-wrapped)
• Dairy Good Easter eggs (chocolate eggs)
• Dairy Good Chocolate and White Chocolate Crosses
• Disney Princess plastic eggs with candy and stickers inside
• Dove Chocolate products are all gluten-free according to a message on their consumer line (1-800-551-0704).
  • Dove Chocolate Eggs (including milk chocolate, milk chocolate almond, peanut butter, and dark chocolate varieties)
  • Dove Fairy Bunny hollow milk chocolate
  • Dove Solid Chocolate Bunnies, milk chocolate Ingredients: milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, skim milk, milkfat, lactose, chocolate processed with alkali, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavors). Allergy Information: May contain peanuts.
  • Dove Solid Chocolate Bunnies, dark chocolate
  • Dove Truffle Eggs
• Dubble Bubble Eggs (egg-shaped bubble gum) and Speckled Bubble Gum
• Easter Bunny Egg-head family filled with Power Candy
• Farley’s Kiddie Mix includes Now & Laters, Jawbreakers, Super Bubble bubble gum, Tootsie Roll Midgees, Sassy Tarts and Smarties
• Florida Natural Healthy Treats fruit snacks eggs (as found Mar. 2009)
• Frankford Marshmallow Chicks and Bunnies
• Fun Dip (Wonka)
• Gimbal’s candies, all varieties (see allergen statement)
• Hershey’s chocolate candy
  • Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bunnies, Springtime Flowers, and Crosses
  • Hershey’s milk chocolate hollow egg with candy-coated milk chocolate eggs inside
  • Hershey’s candy-coated milk chocolate eggs
  • Hershey’s Solid Milk Chocolate Speedy Bunny and Princess Bunny
  • Hershey’s milk chocolate hollow Bunny
  • Hershey’s milk chocolate eggs
  • Hershey’s Special Dark chocolate eggs
  • Hershey’s Marshmallow Eggs
• Hershey’s Bliss chocolate candy
  • Hershey’s Bliss milk chocolate eggs with a meltaway center
  • Hershey’s Bliss dark chocolate eggs
  • Hershey’s Bliss Hollow Milk Chocolate Bunny
• Hershey’s Kisses
  • Hershey’s Kisses filled with Caramel
  • Hershey’s Kisses with Almond
• Lifesaver hard candies – Original and Pastels
• Lifesaver Eggsortment (including jellybeans, gummies and pops)
• Lifesaver Gummies – Original, and Bunnies and Eggs
• Lindt white and dark chocolate bunnies as well as Lindt Chocolate Carrots did not have any gluten listed in the ingredients, but are at risk of cross-contamination. (See Lindt listing below.)
• Melster Chocolate Flavored Marshmallow Bunnies
• M&M’s — original, peanut, Speck-tacular Eggs, and Bunny Mix
• Mounds Eggs (as found Mar. 2009)
• Nestle’s Nest Eggs (Nestle’s Crunch Nest Eggs are not gluten-free.)
• Nestle’s milk chocolate Nest Eggs
• Nestle’s creamy caramel Nest Eggs
• Nestle’s Butterfinger chocolate Nest Eggs
• Nestle’s Butterfinger Creme Eggs
• Palmer Holiday Candy see their website for gluten-free candy. One of our readers, Kristin, also noted in the comments that she found that the hollow chocolate bunnies that had hard candy eyes and other body parts often stated that they were “processed with wheat.” The ones that were simply chocolate and wrapped in foil didn’t have that statement.
  • Palmer’s Bunny Bites foil-wrapped eggs (includes both soft caramel and peanut butter flavors)
  • Palmer’s Baby Binks hollow milk chocolate bunny
  • Palmer’s Bunnyettes (milk chocolate)
  • Palmer’s Butter Cream Flavored eggs
  • Palmer’s Carrot Patch Pete (solid milk chocolate bunny)
  • Palmer’s Fudge Filled Big Ears (foil-wrapped bunnies with big ears)
  • Palmer’s Hollow Bunnies (milk flavored and milk chocolate flavored)
  • Palmer’s Little Beauty milk chocolate bunny
  • Palmer’s Milk Chocolate Flavored and premium milk chocolate eggs
  • Palmer’s Peanut Butter Filled  chocolate eggs
  • Palmer Poppin’ Rockin’ Egg (hollow egg filled with Pop Rocks)
  • Palmer’s Soft Caramel Cups
  • Palmer’s Super Sports Balls
  • Palmer’s Quax hollow milk flavored candy duck (“The Yummy Ducky”) — Be careful with this one. In one store, this statement was included on the boxes: “Manufactured on equipment which processes wheat, peanut butter and other tree nuts.” In other stores, this statement was not on the boxes. Made in different facilities?
• Peeps (all shapes and colors) — “Gluten Free”
• Peeps milk chocolate covered marshmallow
• PEZ candy
• Pixy Stix Green Grass (Wonka)
• Giant Pixy Stix (Wonka)
• Pop Rocks in plastic egg
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate candy
  • Reese’s Easter Assortment Eggs (including peanut butter eggs, white peanut butter eggs, and miniatures) – This does not include the foil-wrapped mini eggs, which do have gluten.
  • Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup miniatures
  • Reese’s Pieces Pastel Eggs
  • Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs – large and small size, but not the foil-wrapped mini eggs (see Unsafe list below)
  • Reese’s Reester Bunny — large size only, but not the mini-sized (see Unsafe list below)
• Ring pops
• Sixlets
• Skittles eggs and fun-size
• Smarties candy rolls “Contain none of the following: gluten (from wheat, barley, oats and rye), milk, egg, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, or soybeans.”
• Snickers mini’s
• Sour Patch Bunnies
• Starburst fruit chews – funsize
• Swedish Fish Eggs soft and chewy candy
• Sunny Seed Drops chocolate covered sunflower seeds
• Tootsie Rolls (including midgees and fruit rolls)
• Tootsie Pops
• Wonka Everlasting Gobstopper Eggbreakers
• Wonka Giant Pixy Stix
• Wonka Hoppin’ Nerds
• Wonka Runts Freckled Eggs
• York Peppermint Patties
• Zachary real chocolate Marshmallow Eggs
• Zachary solid milk chocolate Bunnies
• Zipperz Lollipops (as found Mar. 2009)

Unsafe Candy (may contain gluten)

Jelly Beans

• Brach’s Jelly Bird Eggs (includes classic, black, orchard fruit, and premium tiny jelly-bird eggs) — “Packaged on equipment that also packages products containing traces of milk, egg, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and/or soy protein.”
• Brach’s Hawaiian Punch Jelly Beans — “Packaged on equipment that also packages products containing traces of milk, egg, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and/or soy protein.”
• Sour Patch Jelly Beans — “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, wheat, milk, soy, cashew nuts.”

Other Easter Candy

• Brach’s Chocolate Bunnies — “malt extract” is listed in the ingredients. “Manufactured on equipment that also manufactures products containing peanuts, tree nuts and wheat.”
• Child’s Play Easter Mix — “Packed on equipment that also manufactures products containing peanuts, tree nuts and wheat.” (as found Mar. 2009)
• Chick Feed sunflower seeds “May contain wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts.”
• Ferrero Rocher candy — “wheat flour” in ingredients
• Frankford Cookies and Creme Eggs — “wheat flour” in ingredients
• Frankford Crispy Eggs (milk chocolate flavored) — “malt extract, milk and soy” listed in ingredients. “Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts and wheat.”
• Frankford solid milk chocolate bunny — “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.”
• Galerie Edible Easter Grass (imported from Germany) — “May contain wheat.” on label
• Hershey’s miniatures — “malt” listed in ingredients. “Allergy Information: May contain wheat.”
• Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme eggs — “wheat flour” in ingredients
• Kit Kat Bunny Ears and Kit Kat minis — “wheat flour” in ingredients
• Lindt Chocolate — Lindt US website addresses the question of gluten with this note: “Unfortunately, at this time we cannot guarantee that Lindt chocolate is gluten free. Our white and extra dark (70% cocoa and above) chocolate products by nature do not contain barley malt. However, because they run on the same production lines as other products there is a chance of cross contamination.”
• Lindt Lindor Truffles Eggs — “malt powder” listed in ingredients
• Lindt Assorted Chocolates with smooth filling — “barley malt powder” listed in ingredients
• Lindt milk chocolate bunnies (Gold Bunny, wrapped in gold foil) — “barley malt extract” listed in ingredients
• Lindt Bugs & Bees — “wheat and barley malt powder” in the ingredients.
• Lindt mini eggs, mini lamb, lamb, and mini chicks — “barley malt powder” listed in ingredients
• Mayfair Kid’s Play basket stuffers (including Fuit Chews, Teaberry Gumballs, Spout Bubble Log, Atomic Fireballs, Super Bubble bubble gum, Easter Pops, Jawbreakers, Airheads, Lemonhead, and Smarties) — “Packed in a facility that processes peanuts, nuts, milk products, soy protein, wheat, eggs and sesame seeds.”
• Mighty Malts Speckled Malted Milk Eggs — “malted barley and wheat flour” are listed in the ingredients.
• Milky Way minis — “malted barley” in ingredients
• Milky Way Bunnies — surprisingly, no gluten was listed in the ingredients; “Allergy Information: May contain peanuts, tree nuts, egg and wheat.”
• Nestle Butterfinger Egg with pieces in chocolate (this does not include the foil-wrapped eggs or the fun-size butterfingers) — “Made on equipment that also processes nuts and wheat.”
• Nestle Crunch Nest Eggs — “Barley Malt” listed as an ingredient. “Made on equipment that also processes peanuts, nuts and wheat.”
• PAAS eggs — “malt” listed in ingredients
• Palmer Holiday Candy see their website for gluten-free candy. One of our readers, Kristin, also noted in the comments that she found that the hollow chocolate bunnies that had hard candy eyes and other body parts often stated that they were “processed with wheat.” The ones that were simply chocolate and wrapped in foil didn’t have that statement.
  • Palmer’s Double Crisp chocolate candy (including Bunnies, Bunnyettes, Pops, Chick a Dees, Bunny Munny and Eggs) — “barley malt” listed in ingredients
  • Palmer’s Lil’ Crispy chocolate bunny — “malt” listed in ingredients. “Manufactured on equipment which processes wheat, peanut butter, and tree nuts.”
  • Palmer’s My Little Bunny — “barley malt” listed in ingredients; “Manufactured on equipment which processes wheat, peanut butter and tree nuts.”
  • Palmer’s Cookies ‘n Creme Eggs — “bleached wheat flour” is listed in ingredients. “Manufactured on equipment which processes wheat, peanut butter, and tree nuts.”
  • Palmer’s Crispy Peanut Butter flavored eggs — “malt” listed in ingredients.
  • Palmer’s Eggbert Double Crisp — “Barley malt” listed in ingredients.
  • Palmer’s Quax hollow milk flavored candy duck (“The Yummy Ducky”) — Be careful with this one. In one store, this statement was included on the boxes: “Manufactured on equipment which processes wheat, peanut butter and other tree nuts.” In other stores, this statement was not on the boxes. Made in different facilities?
• Peter Rabbit real milk chocolate bunny — “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.”
• Peter Rabbit hollow milk chocolate bunny — “Manufactured on shared equipment that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, wheat and egg.”
• Reese’s milk chocolate and peanut butter eggs (mini eggs foil-wrapped individually) — “wheat flour” listed in the ingredients
• Reese’s mini-Reester Bunnies — “wheat flour” in ingredients
• Russel Stover chocolate candy — With the exception of the jelly beans, every RS product I looked at had a similar statement of cross-contamination: “Products have been produced on shared equipment with peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, and wheat.” Some of their products had additional allergens listed to those above.
• Snickers Eggs — “Allergy Information: May contain tree nuts, egg, and wheat.”
• Snickers Creme Sports Eggs — “Allergy Information: May contain tree nuts, egg, and wheat.”
• SpongeBob Squarepants Eggs plastic egg with sour candy and stickers — “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds and wheat.”
• SpongeBob Squarepants gummy Krabby Patties — “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds and wheat.”
• SweetTart Gummy Bunnies (Wonka) — “wheat” listed as an ingredient
• Trolli Gummi Bunnies — “Packaged on equipment that also packages products containing traces of milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and/or soy protein.” (as found Mar. 2009)
• Twix — “Wheat Flour” listed in ingredients (as found Mar. 2009)
• Twizzlers candy
  • Twizzlers Tweeters — “wheat” listed as an ingredient (as found Mar. 2009)
  • Twizzlers Rainbow Twists — “wheat” listed as an ingredient
  • Twizted Strawberry Blast pull-n-peel candy — “wheat” listed as an ingredient
  • Twizzlers Strawberry Mini Bars — “wheat” listed as an ingredient
• Whitman’s Sampler — “Allergy Information: Products have been processed on shared equipment with tree nuts and wheat.”
• Whoppers Robin Eggs (includes mini-Robbin Eggs, too) — “barley malt and wheat flour” in ingredients
• Wonka’s eggs — “oat flour” listed as an ingredient; “Made on equipment that also processes peanuts, nuts and wheat.”
• Wonka Easter Nerds Rope — “Made in a facility that also processes wheat and egg.”
• Wonka Mix-Ups (including SweeTart chews, Laffy Taffy, SweeTarts, and Nerds) “Made in a facility that also processes wheat and egg.”

.

Notable Links:

• More information about Jelly Belly candy.
• Information on allergen-free Easter candy can be found at Sure Foods Living.
• Gluten Free Is Life also has a list of Easter candy safe for the gluten-free diet.
• Check out the recipe for making Chocolate Eggs in a Cookie Basket.
• More gluten-free candy lists for Halloween Candy and Valentine Candy.

I am so excited to share this recipe with you. I’ve never actually eaten a lot of beignets – only when I’ve been at the French Quarter in New Orleans. They really are a delicious treat. If you’re not familiar with them, I would describe them as a square doughnut, or bread dough deep fried into little square pillows, and topped with powdered sugar. They are so yummy! If you aren’t celebrating Mardi Gras with a Gluten-Free King Cake this year, then you should definitely indulge in these little gems.

Gluten-Free Beignet Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup warm water
1/4 Cup sugar
2 tsp yeast
3/4 Cup almond milk (Regular milk should work, too.)
1/2 Cup butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Cups brown rice flour (I use Authentic Foods finely ground.)
1 Cup potato starch
1/2 Cup sweet rice flour
1 Tbsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 liter vegetable oil for frying beignets
powdered sugar for dusting the beignets after cooking

Directions:

1. You’ll need a large pot of vegetable oil to fry the beignets. Electric deep fryers are great for keeping the temperature consistent. However, you can use a pot of oil on the stove top, but you’ll need to watch the temperature closely. You should fry the beignets between 360° - 380° F.
2. Start by combining the yeast with the sugar and the warm water (110° - 115° F is recommended but I don’t usually check the temperature.) in a small bowl. Set it aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the brown rice flour, potato starch, sweet rice flour, xanthan gum, and salt. Add in the melted butter, milk, and eggs and mix thoroughly.
4. Now stir the yeast mixture into the flour mixture. The dough should start to pull together into a soft ball.
5. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and top with plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it’s about 1/8″ thick.
6. Using a pizza cutter, cut the beignets into 2-1/2″ squares. You should be able to make 24 – 30 beignets.
7. Fry the dough in the heated oil 1 – 3 beignets at a time. Don’t fry too many at once, as it can lower the temperature of the oil too fast. Thus, inhibiting the beignets to puff up like they should. Once the beignets start to brown, flip them over using a slotted spoon or tongs. Once the beignets have been lightly browned on both sides, carefully remove them from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb extra oil. The beignets should only take one or two minutes to brown on each side.
8. Generously top each beignet with powdered sugar and serve while warm.

Additional Notes:

• These aren’t terribly sweet. Most of the sweetness comes from the powdered sugar, so you can easily adjust it to your liking. You can even drizzle a little honey on it, like my husband did,  if you have a sweet tooth.
• In case you’re wondering: I didn’t find it necessary to wait and allow the dough to rise. I simply cut them out and fried them up.
• This dough wasn’t very sticky, so you might be able to roll out the dough without using the parchment paper and plastic wrap, but I find it convenient. A little dusting of potato starch on the counter and rolling pin should work fine.
• Just roll out the dough once. I tried to re-roll the dough (balled it up and rolled it out again) to cut perfect squares. As a result, the dough fried up flat and a little tougher.
• Watch the temperature of the oil while frying. If it’s too low, the beignets won’t puff up. If it’s too high, the center won’t cook through and will be a little gummy. If you’re having trouble, try putting two pieces of dough into the oil at a time when it’s at 380° F.
• Although I don’t believe it’s traditional, I think these would be nice with a little cinnamon mixed into the dough. I might try that next time.
• In order to save time for breakfast, the traditional meal time to eat these, make up the dough the night before and keep the dough in the refrigerator. In the morning, roll it out, cut it and fry.

Notable Links

• I did eventually find another recipe for gluten-free beignets. This one by Teri Gruss at About.com uses a cake mix for the flour.
• There are more tips for cooking beignets at Cafe Du Monde .
• I’m linking this to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays because I only used 1/4 Cup sugar in the dough and I reduced the lactose content by using almond milk.
• For more gluten-free recipes, visit The Gluten-Free Homemaker at this week’s edition of “What Can I Eat That’s Gluten Free?“
• Know a fan of Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog”? Here are some coloring/activity pages my daughter has enjoyed.

Easy Chocolate-Covered Macadamia Nuts

Ingredients:

Whole Raw Macadamia Nuts
Dark Cocoa Candy Melts

You’ll also need a Truffles Candy Mold.

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate candy melts in the microwave. Start by melting at half power for about two minutes. Then, put in for another minute at a time to finish melting.
2. Fill about a third of each candy truffle mold with the melted chocolate. Push a nut into the melted chocolate in the mold. Then, finish filling the candy mold with more melted chocolate. Tap the mold on the counter to release any air bubbles.
3. Place the mold in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then, pull it out of the refrigerator, turn it upside down and pop the candies out.

Additional Notes:

• The candy melts are so easy to work with, and they make very pretty, shiny candies. However, it isn’t as tasty as using good chocolate. (That doesn’t mean they didn’t disappear as quickly as I made them.)
• For melting the candy melt discs, I used a plastic squeeze bottle.  It made it easy to melt the candy  and fill the candy mold. You can keep the bottle in a bowl of warm water to keep the chocolate warm while you’re filling the candy molds with nuts. Or, just pop it back into the microwave for a minute or two, if necessary.
• You can, of course, melt the chocolate on the stove with a double boiler. Just be careful not to get any water into the chocolate, as it can make the chocolate seize.

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Delicious Chocolate-Covered Macadamia Nuts

For an even better tasting candy, instead of raw macadamia nuts, I used Elana’s recipe for candied macadamia nuts at Elana’s Pantry. It’s a pretty quick and easy recipe, and is a very tasty treat by itself. But, the sweetness of the agave nectar combined with the salt, and then roasted in the oven gives this chocolate candy another tasty layer which is delicious!

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Best Tasting, Addictive Chocolate-Covered Macadamia Nuts

For the best tasting chocolate covered macadamia nuts, use the candied macadamia nuts and use real dark chocolate! Using real chocolate just makes these even better. In order to get the best looking results, too, you’ll have to temper your chocolate. I’m still trying to perfect the tempering process, but even if it doesn’t work for you it will be delicious! It just may not be as pretty. Un-tempered chocolate also has a tendency to bloom at room temperature. So, if you don’t temper your chocolate, eat them right away or store in the refrigerator.

Valentine’s Day Treats
So, for Valentine’s Day, I made some of these with heart-shaped molds. I couldn’t find any candy molds that were deep enough to accommodate the macadamia nuts, so I used these silicone gelatin/ice cube molds I found at the dollar store.

Related Links:

• Elana’s Pantry Candied Macadamia Nuts recipe and directions.
• Diane made Chocolate Macadamia Nuts without using candy molds at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.
• Detailed directions of Tempering Chocolate is at Cooking For Engineers.
• The Giver’s Log has great tips for buying chocolate and melting and tempering chocolate.
• For more gluten-free recipes, visit The Gluten-Free Homemaker for What Can I Eat That’s Gluten Free?

With Valentine school parties coming up, I like to buy gluten-free candy for my kids to give to friends. But, I also try to be aware of what candy my kids are likely to be given by their friends and classmates. So I went to the local grocery stores and discount stores to read the candy labels. Now I’ve got a good idea of what candy my kids might get that they can actually eat. The lists below are based on reading the packages of valentine candy I found in various stores around our home.

Any candy I found with cross-contamination warnings in the allergy statements I have put in the “Unsafe” list below, whether it has gluten ingredients or not. So, if you do not avoid those candies, you might want to review that list for additional candy without gluten ingredients.

One of the candies I was surprised about this year was the small Reese’s peanut butter hearts. The package of individually, foil-wrapped hearts says they contain “wheat flour” in the ingredients. I was surprised because the Reese’s peanut butter hearts that are in the traditional orange packaging do not contain gluten. Just another reminder that we have to keep reading labels.

Gluten-Free (Safe) Candy and Treats

• Andes creme de menthe Valentine Sweet Heart Assortment
• Animal Planet fruit-flavored lollipops
• Baby Ruth
• Betty Crocker Valentine Fruit by the Foot – “Gluten Free”
• Bottle Caps (Wonka)
• Butterfinger hearts
• Charms Blow Pops and Valentine Pops
• Charms Zip-a-dee mini pops
• DeMets Turtles
• Disney Lollipop Rings (Flix Candy)
• Dove milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and caramel candy
• Dum-Dums lollipops “Gluten Free”
• Fun Dips (Wonka)
• Gobstopper Hearts (Wonka) (as found Feb. 2009)
• Galerie Candy Jewelry Making Kit
• Galerie Diamond Ring with candy treats
• Galerie Edible Gummy Eyeballs
• Hershey Bliss chocolates including milk chocolate with raspberry meltaway centers
• Hershey Kisses (includes milk chocolate, filled with caramel, cherry cordial creme, with almonds, Hugs, and Hugs raspberry)
• Hershey’s Pot of Gold truffles
• Hubba Bubba Max bubble gum, and bubble tape
• Jelly Belly conversation beans
• Jolly Rancher candy (including heart-shaped lollipops)
• Juicee Gummee Baby Bears (as found Feb. 2009)
• Laffy Taffy, small and long sticks (Wonka)
• Life Savers candy and lollipops
• Marvel lollipops (as found Feb. 2009)
• M&Ms – fun size and mini’s packages
• Nerds, boxes and ropes (Wonka) Beware of this one: I found one package (Wonka Mix-Ups with Nerds, Bottle Caps and Laffy Taffy) that said the Nerds were “Made in a facility that also processes wheat and egg.” All other packages of Nerds I found did not have this cross-contamination statement.
• Peeps marshmallow shapes, hearts and I?U – “Gluten Free”
• PEZ
• Pixy Stix (Wonka)
• Pop Rocks popping candy
• Reese’s peanut butter cups, miniatures, and peanut butter hearts (but not the individually, foil-wrapped small hearts)
• Reese’s Pieces
• Skittles “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 “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) [Last year, I found some of these that had cross-contamination warnings. They could still be out there in discount stores.]
• 3 Musketeers cherry with dark chocolate mini’s
• Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops (including vanilla and cherry fruit rolls)
• Warheads
• York Peppermint Pattie Hearts

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Unsafe Candy and Treats (may contain gluten)

• Any chocolate candy with crisps is likely to have wheat flour or barley malt, so check carefully.
  
• Air Heads “Manufactured in a facility that processes wheat flour.”
• Brach’s candy including conversation hearts “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.”
• Crunch (Nestle) snack-size and hearts contains “barley malt“; “Made on equipment that also processes peanuts, nuts and wheat.”
• Disney lollipops packaged with Valentine cards (including Tinkerbell and Toy Story characters) “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat and egg products.”
• Disney Princesses Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.”
• Dora and Diego Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.”
• Ferrero Rocher contains “wheat flour.”
• Hershey’s Miniatures “May contain wheat.”
• Kit Kat contains “wheat flour“
• Lindt chocolate candy contains “barley malt powder“
• Littlest Pet Shop lollipops “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat
• Love Duck with conversation heart candy (found at Target) “May contain milk, soy, peanut, tree nuts, wheat and egg.”
• Reese’s peanut butter filled chocolate hearts (this refers to the small, individually foil-wrapped hearts) Contains “wheat flour.”
• Russel Stover chocolates – Every package I found had a cross contamination warning, whether it had gluten or not in the ingredients.
• Spongebob Squarepants Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.”Spongebob Squarepants lollipops “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, milk, wheat and egg products.”
• SweetTart Hearts (Wonka) “Made in a facility that also processes egg and wheat.”
• SweetTart Hearts Gummies contains “wheat“
• Transformer Crispy Chocolaty Hearts contains “malt extract“; “Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and wheat.”
• Twix contains “wheat flour“
• Whoppers contain “barley malt and wheat flour” and egg products.”

Of course, I can’t possibly be prepared to know the gluten content for every candy my kids might get. So, if 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.

I hope this helps you make informed decisions about which candy celiacs can and can’t eat, but remember it’s always a good idea to read the labels for yourself. The package labeling can vary if the candies were packaged or manufactured in different facilities or on different dates. I am not an expert, simply a mom trying to make good gluten-free choices for my family. If you find any mistakes or revisions that need to be made to the list, please add the information in the comments form below so that other readers can benefit from your knowledge, too. Thanks!

I really wanted to make gingerbread houses this year. I had a lot of leftover Halloween candy that I thought would be great to use on them. I thought about buying a gluten-free kit (A & J Bakery or Cherry Blossom Cakes), but I had already bought Jules special flour mix for making graham crackers and gingerbread. So, I didn’t buy the kit and I haven’t even opened the gluten-free graham flour. There are only a couple days left until Christmas and I’m thinking about finishing my shopping, wrapping presents and sending out the last of the Christmas cards.

So, I’ve decided to do what I did last year: use pre-made gluten-free graham crackers (Josef or Kinnikinnick) to make two small houses, one for each of my kids to decorate. It really worked out well last year. It was nice for each of my kids to have their own house to decorate. And, the small size was perfect for their attention span (then ages 3 and 5). Now that I’ve made that decision, I just have to make the gluey frosting to stick the graham crackers together. I have two different recipes for the frosting listed below: one that uses egg-whites, and one that uses meringue powder. Both work well, but I used the egg-white recipe last year. I put the icing in a pastry bag with plain decorating tips, but you could just put the icing into a zip-style bag and clip the corner with scissors. Last year, we used gum drops, M&Ms, candy-canes, and some holiday-shaped marshmallows. Of course, you can use whatever gluten-free candy you have on-hand.

This would be a great project for a support group for celiac kids (R.O.C.K. or Cel-Kids). The project is quick enough to be done in a reasonable amount of time, takes little preparation for the organizer, and the houses are small enough for each kid to take home.

Royal Icing using Egg Whites

Ingredients:

3 egg whites
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Beat egg whites until fluffy and add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
2. Mix in the other ingredients and beat until thick and stiff.

Additional Notes:

• Once you’ve made up the icing, be sure to keep it covered in the bowl so it doesn’t dry out.
• This makes a large batch of icing. It’s probably enough to make 6 small (cracker-size) houses.

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Royal Icing for Gingerbread Houses

(I got this recipe from my sister, who says she got it from Better Homes and Gardens.)

Ingredients:

2 cups sifted powdered sugar
4 tsps Meringue Powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 Cup warm water

Directions:

Combine sifted powdered sugar, meringue powder, and cream of tartar. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until combined, then on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until very stiff.

Additional Notes:

Add 1 to 4 Tbsp of water, 1 tsp at a time to make glaze of desired consistency.

Want to make your own gluten-free gingerbread cookies or houses from scratch? Try one of these recipes:

Gingerbread House Heaven
Jenn Cuisine
Only Sometimes Clever

For more gluten-free holiday treats, check out this week’s edition of “What Can I Eat That’s Gluten-Free?” at The Gluten-Free Homemaker.

Chocolate Martinis

Ingredients:

Magic Shell (optional for decorating the glass)
Ice
Dark Chocolate ice cream (The darker, richer chocolate ice creams are best for this.)
1.5 oz. Kahlua
1.5 oz.Creme de Cacao (You can use dark or clear varieties, we used the dark.)
1.5 oz. Vodka (Any will do, but we used a chocolate infused vodka for even more chocolate flavor.)

Directions:

1. My husband begins the martini making process by preparing the Martini Glasses. Place the glasses in the freezer (for about 30 minutes) to get them nice and frosty. Then slowly drizzle Magic Shell along the edge of the glass, so that it starts to run down the inside of the glass. It adds a little flavor to the drink, but mainly just makes it look nice. Then, place the glass back into the freezer.
2. Next, place 3 or 4 ice cubes into a Cocktail Shaker and one scoop of ice cream. Pour in equal parts Creme de Cacao, Kahlua, and Vodka and shake vigorously. Continue shaking until the ice cream is broken up.
3. Straining out the ice, pour the martini into the prepared glass.
4. Serve quickly, while still icy cold.

Additional Notes:

• Magic shell is our favorite way to decorate the glass. However, you may want to experiment with others: Cocoa powder on the rim can be a little bitter but could be cut with powdered sugar; Chocolate syrup drizzled can get messy and doesn’t stay along the sides, but it does add a little sweetness to the drink; Powdered sugar on the rim makes a nice snowy look, but can get sticky. How about cinnamon, or cinnamon sugar? Be creative and have fun!
• We usually serve it without any other garnish. However, crushed peppermint candy sprinkled on top and a whole candy stuck on the side, as in the photo, gives it a fun holiday flavor. Try hanging a small candy cane on the side. Or, a fresh mint leaf for a summer day. None of these add much flavor to the drink. But, it does add a nice aroma to the drink.
• If you’re a real fan of peppermint, put crushed peppermint candy on the rim. And, maybe even a splash of Peppermint Schnapps.

For more Cocktails, Mocktails, and Appetizer recipes, check out the Holiday Food Fest at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

I am also linking this to “What Can I Eat That’s Gluten-Free?” at The Gluten-Free Homemaker. So, be sure to check out all of the gluten-free recipes and ideas shared at this round-up, too.

Every year, my mom makes Poppy Seed Bread to give to friends and co-workers for the holidays. I, too, have continued this tradition. This year, rather than making it from scratch, I decided to take the easy way and use Betty Crocker’s Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix. I was a little concerned about the amounts, but was pleasantly surprised at how well it turned out. I added some flavorings and poppy seeds to the mix, as well as eggs, milk and oil. It made a very nice poppy seed cake that I then covered with a thin, sweet glaze.

These cakes can be made up in advance and frozen until time to give them away for the holidays. Once I’ve made the cakes and let them cool completely, I wrap each one individually with plastic wrap. Then, I place them in a zip-style plastic bag. Sealed like this, you can keep them in the refrigerator for at least a week, or in the freezer for several weeks. They will defrost quite quickly at room temperature. Or, defrost them in the refrigerator overnight.

Poppy Seed Bread Made With Betty Crocker’s Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix

Ingredients:

For the Cake:
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
3 eggs
2/3 Cup milk
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1 TBSP poppy seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp butter flavoring
1 tsp almond flavoring

For the Glaze:
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
1/4 Cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp butter flavoring
1 tsp almond flavoring

Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Then add in the remaining cake ingredients (cake mix, milk, oil, poppy seeds, vanilla extract, butter flavoring and almond flavoring). Mix until thoroughly blended.
2. Pour into greased, small/mini loaf pans. (I use an oil spray, but you can use butter or shortening.)
3. Bake for 40-50 minutes at 350° F.
4. Once baked, remove from the oven and cool in the pans on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
5. While the cakes are cooling, make the glaze. Combine all the glaze ingredients and mix well.
6. Pour the glaze over each cake (still warm in the pan). Let it sit for 5 minutes, then remove and let it cool completely on racks.

Additional Notes:

• I made three small loaves with this recipe, but probably could’ve made two slightly larger loaves. This recipe will also make one full-size loaf.
• I used the small, or sometimes called mini, aluminum foil loaf pans (about 3.5″ x 6″ x 2″h) you find in the grocery stores. I’ve used them over and over, washing each time in the dishwasher. If you’re wanting a more permanent solution, try these Mini Loaf Pans.
• For presenting these as gifts, I usually keep the bread wrapped in plastic wrap and then tie it with a nice festive ribbon. For more color, you can use colored plastic wrap that is easy to find during the holidays. Sometimes I will also put the bread in a clear plastic gift bag, or treat bag and then tie with a nice ribbon. You can also use colored cellophane to wrap it, and tie with ribbon at both ends. It all just depends on how and when you want to present it.
• If not giving these away as gifts, put them in the freezer. Then the night before Thanksgiving or Christmas, put them into the refrigerator to defrost overnight. By morning it will be a nice treat to eat for breakfast, or maybe a snack while opening stockings, with a cup of tea.

For more edible gift ideas, be sure to visit Cents To Get Debt Free. I’m a little late to the blog carnival, so there are already plenty of other great ideas for edible gifts. Please be aware that some of the contributions at the carnival may not be gluten-free, but there are still plenty that are GF and other good ideas that could be modified to be GF.