I'm baaaaack!!

Time to get this party started! I'm coming out of blog-retirement to breathe new life into this dead site.

This time around, I'll be talking (again) about gluten-free cooking and life in Tucson, but I'll also be throwing in crafting/sewing/decorating and mom-ing. There's a new baby in our casa and I can't wait to show you how mija is growing cuter by the minute.

Hooray for blogging!

watching weight and eating gluten-free

Here's a delicious and easy recipe for lettuce wraps that's both Weight Watcher friendly and gluten-free (just use wheat-free tamari instead of soy). We used napa cabbage instead of bean sprouts tonight, but we like it with sprouts as well.

I'm trying to get back into the swing of blogging, but I've been so extremely busy with work and all that other good stuff.

Tonight I did my first Meet Me at Maynards. The mission, stolen from the website,is to bring active adults and families to the downtown Tucson area to enjoy healthy exercise, experience the history, beauty and architecture of our unique neighborhoods, and to appreciate and patronize local businesses. It's a 3.4 mile run/walk that brings in people from all over the city to enjoy downtown Tucson. There's always entertainment before and after, as well as free water at stops around downtown and a little snack at the end. What a wonderful way to get out and enjoy downtown from a different perspective, and get my heart pumping as well!

If you live in Tucson, I'd highly recommend giving it a try.

Canned heat

This weekend we went out to Apple Annie's in Willcox. After picking almost 20 lbs of granny smith apples at the apple orchard, we headed down the road to the veggie farm and picked green beans, jalapenos, green chiles, eggplant, bell pepper, squash, and pumpkins.

I wish I could show you pictures from Willcox but I seem to have lost my wonderful Canon point and shoot in Willcox. RIP camera.

Last year after we visited the veggie farm we canned jalapenos using this recipe from pepperfool.com. We loved it so much that we did it again this year. Anything pickled is good in my book, and canning is a fun and not too challenging activity that you can enjoy all year around. Before you start, though, it's important to read up on the food safety aspects of canning.

Here's how it went:

We chose to use wide mouth quart Bell jars. They are a good size and the open top makes them easier to fill. You need the following equipment: jars with lids and rings, a really big pot, a smaller pot, jar grabbers (that's the technical term), and a pyrex or plastic quart-ish sized measuring cup with a pour spout.

Clean everything by hand. Really well. Lots of soap and water.



Sterilize the jars in boiling water



Clean the veggies well

Bring the vinegar to a boil, stuff the peppers into the jars with the garlic and bay leaf, and pour vinegar into the jars.

Let the jars sit for a few minutes to let the air escape

Preserve the jars by immersing them in boiling water, remember to adjust for your altitude. (Here in Tucson we needed 20 minutes to get them sealed up right)

Let the jars cool overnight. Check to ensure the jar is sealed by pushing on the top of the lid. It shouldn't pop in and out. If it does, throw it in the fridge and eat it soon.

This year we got 16 quart jars of jalapenos. They are wonderful - more flavorful than the stuff you get at the store. We use them in everything - quesadillas, nachos, on breakfast cereal... kidding. Sort of.

If you look closely above, you'll see we also tried our luck at canning green beans using this recipe from allrecipes.com. My best friend in Seattle attended a 'canning party' (awesome idea) and I got to try her green beans, which were really fantastic.

We got 8 quart jars of green beans out of 5 lbs of hand-picked beans. I don't know if I'll be able to wait a few weeks to try them. They look SO GOOD.

gluten-free mac and cheese

There are things I miss about the days of gluten. Cupcakes, cookies, and mac and cheese top the list. I am so excited that Betty Crocker came out with a line of gluten-free baking mixes and I can't wait to try the boxes waiting in my pantry.

Last Sunday I was craving comfort food, so I thought I'd try to make gluten-free mac and cheese.



It was fabulous.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Whisk in 1 tablespoon Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all purpose baking mix. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until the flour and butter turn a golden brown. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt, grind in pepper to taste, and add whatever spices sound good to you - I like dried mustard, cayenne, and garlic powder. Add about 3/4 cup milk or half and half (depending on how healthy you're feeling). Whisk together and let the mixture come to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Add shredded cheddar cheese, a handful at a time, until you've added about a cup and a half. Toss in 6 oz cooked Tinkyada elbow macaroni, drained well and rinsed. Serves 2.

I have found me a home

I love Tucson. I love the weather and the attitude and the people and the grit. It's old west meets modern democratic party politics, with a heavy dose of Mexican and Native American culture and a laid back charm. I love our sprawling ranch house that's older than we are, and I love our views from the patio every night.

Summer's storms are passing now. The nights are getting cooler and my very favorite time of year is here. Fall in the desert. There's nothing like it anywhere else in the world, and that's why you'll find me here - the old pueblo.

working on Labor Day!?

I made my poor sweet husband work over Labor Day. We have this unused corner of our laundry room (corner pictured above) and it drives me crazy that the space wasn't being used for storage. After all, our laundry room is right off our kitchen, so we could be using the extra room as a pantry.

I came up with the hairbrained idea to install shelving against two of the walls and dragged David to Lowe's (or the Home Depot, I forget - aren't they the same?). We purchased three 72" long, 12" wide shelves, as well as tracks and wall-mount kits for the tracks.

Here is my nice husband cutting the shelves to fit the area.

And here was our first problem - the big wall has pocket door that hides inside. When David went to make a hole for the screws to mount the tracks to the wall, he hit the door. Below, you'll see the hole in the wall and the resulting hole in the door.) That meant the screws that came with the wall-mounting kit were going to be too long to use. What to do, what to do.

I found some drywall screws and other assorted screws in the garage. We decided on the screw on the left. (The screw that came with the kit is on the right.)

We went to work installing the tracks and placing the shelves where we wanted them.

And after a total of 2 hours of work, look at all that beautiful storage! Now my Rice Chex (gluten free!) can have a nice cozy place to hang.

I might cover the shelves in contact paper so they are easier to see (wouldn't want to put an eye out), but overall, I am thrilled.

goat cheese

If you live in the Old Pueblo, you've got to try goat cheese from Foot's Hold Dairy. They are set up every week at the Sunday morning farmer's market at St Phillips Plaza.

We like the creamy, light fromage blanc crumbled over brown rice and grilled veggies

and the deliciously tangy chevre with honey-soaked dates on crackers (gluten-free for me - these, from Costco). I'd show you a picture of the chevre but it didn't last long around here.

And my favorite part of this wonderful, local goat cheese (besides the fantastic flavor)? It's affordable ($6 for 4 oz) and you get 50 cents off your next jar if you return your cleaned glass jar after you use it.

YUM.