FROM SCRATCH CLUB

Over the past few months, I’ve thought a lot about fear. Dealing with health issues tends to do that to a person. (Especially if the person is a gifted worrier like me.) Some of this pondering happened inside of MRI machines and some in the kitchen while I prepared dinner. And you know what? It […]

…(Or a how to make perfect chocolate chip cookies)   Chocolate chip cookies are great conversation starters. People are passionate about them. Some folks like ‘em crispy, others chewy, then there’s the whole “with nuts or without” debate. And don’t even get people started on their feelings about raisins in chocolate chip cookies. (I’m firmly […]

I’m about to share a recipe flop with you. Enticing, isn’t it? Let me explain. Lately I’ve been playing with whole-grain/rice-free gluten-free recipes and I turned my attention to Irish soda bread. Years ago, I created a recipe that makes a large loaf of Americanized soda bread. It’s delicious. Among other things, it contains caraway […]

While I love granola, sometimes it’s too sweet for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, sweet granola has a place in my heart–and in my kitchen. But starting in January, after munching through more Christmas cookies than I care to admit, I just don’t want a sweet granola. Instead, I prefer a granola where the […]

Ask Permission Many folks on a restricted diet simply aren’t comfortable eating treats—no matter how lovingly and safely made—from a kitchen that isn’t 100% free of their allergens. Before spending time and money on a recipe that your friend won’t be able to enjoy, ask them if they’re comfortable accepting a home baked treat. Let […]

Family recipes for stuffing are as unique as families themselves. No matter what recipe you follow or what you add to your stuffing, here’s how to make delicious stuffing that just happens to be gluten-free: 1) Bake or buy a loaf of gluten-free bread. For stuffing, my preference is gluten-free white sandwich bread. Why? It […]

Editor’s Note: Swapper Becky H wowed us with her piece on The Simplicity of Coconut Butter and now she’s back as a regular monthly contributor! I’m excited to have Becky join the team because she will bring something new, as a native of The Rio Grande Valley,  she will be featuring recipes & stories influenced by […]

Hi Folks! I’m thrilled Christina asked me to contribute to the FSC blog. For my first entry, I thought I’d share a bit of a culinary confession. Ready? I don’t like…cake pops. It’s not that I don’t think they’re adorable, I do! It’s just that I find the interior of the pops, usually a mixture […]

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, marking the official start to grilling and backyard parties.  What better way is there to celebrate the festivities than with a meal hot off the BBQ or campfire? As soon as my children see that a fire has been lit in our fire pit they instantly cheer {and beg} […]

I’ve been mulling over creating a great gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free baking mix in my brain for almost a year now. Finally a moment of inspiration came to me and I made a bee line for my kitchen to put together this gem of a recipe. I say gem because it is the most versatile mix […]

Schenectady. There I said it. Its a thing. Its happening. You’ve asked, we’ve answered with a THIRD food swap location: Schenectady, NY. Our fabulous host: The First Unitarian Church of Schenectady. What makes this such a sweet announcement is that the organization came to us! Longtime reader Melissa, the Church’s Education Director, approached me via […]

Mother’s Day is around the corner, and now is a good time to start thinking about what to make for the “moms” in your life. Whether this person is your own mother or grandmother, or a neighbor, friend or coworker…..there are ladies in our lives that need to be celebrated! For those with food restrictions […]

As I said around this time last year, Passover is my favorite holiday. It is like Thanksgiving on steroids;  Thanksgiving with four thousand years worth of family recipes and stories and traditions and ritual mandates.  It also has challenging food restrictions thrown in. The basic idea behind the food restrictions associated with Passover is that […]

In 2009 I was a complete newbie to gluten-free baking. My husband had been following a gluten-free diet for over a year when, out of desperation, we started a gluten-free diet for my toddler. I was completely lost when it came to gluten-free baking so a friend invited me out to a gluten-free baking demo […]

Maybe it’s being trapped inside at home with a new baby, but I’m prematurely feeling that mid-winter desperation about what to make for dinner every night.  This feeling worsens when we’ve skipped a week at the farmers market and have no fresh, local produce.  Local green vegetables are already becoming less prevalent and I can […]