angel-jd1

I agree, that book is super for newbies! By the way, thanks for the nice words, you made my day. Always remember that the gluten free thing gets easier with time and patience.

-Jessica

Indeed it is Jessica! I love the book and thanks for sharing your story and recipe in it!!! You give newbies like me hope that we can do this gluten free thing.

Yep that is me ha small world huh Enjoy the recipe!!

-Jessica

jnifred - thanks for that link. That line is owned by Smuckers. I just got off the phone with them. They know there is no wheat in their lemon curd but are in the process of checking to see which of their products is gluten free so they can add that to their labels. So in the near future we should be able to pick up their products and actually see gluten free on the label - if in fact they're gluten free of course. At this time they stated that until their research was complete, they are not comfortable saying any of their products are gluten free.

I got Duncan Hines homestlye frosting, choc. Not all of their types/flavors are gluten-free but several are.

nini - wow! I think I'll get through my baked goodies before they go bad in a year. Thanks!

Jessica - this is so wierd. Last night I found this exact recipe in a book called 'A Personal Touch on Celiac Disease' and it was submitted by someone named Jessica. Might you be the same Jessica? Seems I will have to make my own lemon curd for now as I will attend a tea party next month for a close friends b-day.

Thanks so much for the easy recipe!

I know you said you don't want to make the lemon curd, but it is SO super easy to make. Here is the recipe that I use with no trouble. EASY as pie

-Jessica

Lemon Curd

Lemons- 3 zest and juice

Caster (fine) sugar- 8oz.

Butter- 4 oz.

Egg Yolks- 3 beaten

Method:

1)Put all ingredients in the top of a double broiler or in a bowl standing over a pan of simmering water. Heat gently, stirring for about 20 min. until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

2) Strain, pot, and cover the curd. Store in a cool place and use within 1 month.

I use the recipe to top the lemon bunt cake from the gluten free pantry cake and cookie mix recipe book. It also makes a GREAT icecream topping. It can also be used to make icecream. It is very easy to make and very YUMMY!! Enjoy.

-Jessica

Okay I stocked up on more baked goods than I ever ate before my dx. But I just want it here in case I get a hankering for it. I have some raisin pecan bread, some type of biscuits and some scones. I have freezer packs of two (of eah item) and then those small bags are in a large zipper bag. Since I'm the only one who'll be eating most of this stuff, how long will it be okay in the freezer?

Also, I was wondering if anyone ever had the Namaste brand vanilla cake mix? It came in my care package and I was going to make the cake for Val. day and surprise my husband. I have gluten-free frosting (canned) to put on the cake. But if the Namaste cake mix isn't any good I don't want to waste my time baking it. Anyone out there tried it and if so did you like it?

Last but not least is there such a thing as gluten-free lemon curd (for my scones) that I don't have to make myself. The kind I've used for years has wheat as the second ingredient. Is this is the case with most premade lemon curds?

Congratuations on making it through your first year!! Break out the gluten free goodies and celebrate, it only gets easier as time goes on. Enjoy!

-Jessica

I just wanted to say that it's my one year anniversary gluten-free today and I am really happy. I wouldn't have kept my sanity without the kindness and support of many of the people here. Really, you guys have made all the difference in the world. Thank you and big cyber hugs! Beverly

Good article, thanks for shedding some light onto the McD's fry scandal I appreciate your help in finding some answers! Not to mention the articles on celiac create awareness. Nice work.

-Jessica

Folks: Here's what I learned from McDonald's and filed as a story to the Dow Jones newswires earlier today. It may be picked up in the online Wall Street Journal and possibly the print edition as well.

Best, David Hamilton

=WSJ: McDonald's: Fries Contain 'Wheat, Milk Ingredients'

Dow Jones News Service via Dow Jones

By David P. Hamilton

Of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones)--McDonald's Corp. (MCD) said for the first time that

its french fries contain "wheat and milk ingredients" that might cause problems

for diners sensitive to these substances.

McDonald's had previously described its fries as free of substances that can

cause allergic or other medical reactions in sensitive people. The Oak Brook,

Ill., fast-food giant said the change in its ingredient disclosures followed its

decision to conform to new federal food-labeling rules, and does not reflect any

change in the ingredients of its fries or the way they are prepared.

Some people with food-sensitivity conditions found the change alarming,

largely because they had previously considered McDonald's fries safe based on

information supplied by the company. For instance, some individuals with celiac

disease - an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat,

rye and barley - worried in an online forum whether the McDonald's fries had

always contained gluten, despite the company's assertions to the contrary.

(This story and related background material will be available on The Wall

Street Journal Web site, WSJ.com.)

Cathy Kapica, McDonald's director of global nutrition, said the company's

fries include a "natural flavoring" made, in part, from extracts of wheat and

dairy products. Kapica said those extracts are processed in ways designed to

remove wheat and dairy proteins, which are the substances generally responsible

for triggering allergies or food-sensitivity problems.

Until earlier this week, McDonald's described the natural flavoring as safe

for people with food allergies and other dietary sensitivities. On its Web site,

McDonald's listed the fries on a page of menu items "for people with gluten

sensitivity." On an "allergies and sensitivities" page, the fries were described

as free of gluten and milk or wheat "allergens."

More recently, however, McDonald's voluntarily decided to bring its

nutritional information into voluntary compliance with new Food and Drug

Administration food-labeling rules that took effect on Jan. 1. Those

regulations, which apply to packaged foods but not to restaurant meals, require

labels to note the presence of common allergens such as milk, eggs, wheat, fish

or peanuts.

Under McDonald's interpretation of the FDA rules, Kapica said, the company

decided to note the presence of the wheat and dairy ingredients used to flavor

its fries. "If someone is really sensitive, they need to be aware that this

product was at one point derived from wheat and dairy," Kapica said.

On the other hand, anyone who has eaten the fries without incident "can

continue to do so," Kapica said. "The whole reason the FDA changed the

regulations was to err on the side of caution."

-By David P. Hamilton, The Wall Street Journal; 415-765-6116

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

02-10-06 1929ET

Copyright ? 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

- - 07 29 PM EST 02-10-06

DJBTviaNewsEdge

:TICKER: MCD

:SUBJECT: FOOD CSU IL COMM ENTE

Copyright ? 2006 Dow Jones and Company, Inc.

Received by NewsEDGE/LAN: 2/10/2006 4:26 PM

I just googled "gluten free gift basket" and found several things:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

The list came up with several pages, but there are a few of the first on the page. Hope it helps you.

-Jessica

Hi everyone, Im on the search for a good gluten-free gift basket for a loved one. Does anyone have any suggestions? I bought a great one a few months back for them and now I cannot remember where I ordered it from! Im looking for one in the $100-$150 range.

Thank you thank you thank you!!

BTW-I did a search on here and didnt find anything maybe I need to search different terms??

If you are a McD's fry lover like I am, I suggest that you begin writing letters. It may make an impact. It couldn't hurt. Here is what I wrote.

Dear McDonalds,

I am a customer with celiac disease (can not have gluten). I noticed that you updated your menu. French fries now contain wheat! I am Sooooooo upset. I absolutely love your fries. Mcdonalds was the last place around where I could eat the french fries. You have really made a huge mistake by adding wheat to the ingredients. There are so many people with celiac and gluten intollerance, and we ALL love mcd's fries!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE change them back to not contain wheat!! I will miss them terribly, and I will miss eating at mcdonalds. I won't go there now that I can not eat the fries. Please change them!

-Jessica

Perhaps this has already been posted but I thought McDonald's fries were safe... at this web site for McDonalds USA ingredients it clearly says that the fries contain wheat ingredients! When did this change occur?

The french fries are listed about half way down the page and it clearly says:

natural flavor ( beef, wheat, dairy sources).

This was the only place I would eat french fries and now it looks like that is out.

the page is here:

Open Original Shared Link

Susan

Dumb thing is, they still list them as safe on their gluten free menu with the same date of 2-3-06!! Not good!! So which one is right? Which one has the typo?? This is rediculous!

-Jessica

Well %&$#@(*&^! That is SO not what I wanted to hear today. I can see it now. I hit refresh.....crap!

-Jessica

EVERYONE THIS IS A NEW PAGE MAKE SURE YOUR READING THE PAGE UPDATED 02/06/2006! YOU MAY HAVE TO HOLD SHIFT AND HIT REFRESH TO SEE THE WHEAT BUT IT IS THERE.

I am not seeing it either. I am looking at the page for the USA though, so that may be making a difference. I live in the US, so not concerned with outside of the US.

-Jessica

Hi Susan,

I'm a Suzanne, but people call me Susan about half the time

As for the fries, I'm not seeing what you're seeing...this is what the page says when I pull it up:

French Fries:

Potatoes, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural flavor (beef source), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (to preserve natural color). Cooked in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (may contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil and/or partially hydrogenated corn oil and/or partially hydrogenated canola oil and/or cottonseed oil and/or sunflower oil and/or corn oil).

Is there something else I'm not seeing?

I am horrified, by the way, to see that the fries still contain beef. I'm no longer vegetarian, but I bet alot of people who are think these are okay for them. I thought they changed this years ago after vegetarians got upset.

These are the ingredients that I see for fries:

French Fries:

Potatoes, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural flavor (beef source), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (to preserve natural color). Cooked in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (may contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil and/or partially hydrogenated corn oil and/or partially hydrogenated canola oil and/or cottonseed oil and/or sunflower oil and/or corn oil).

They are also still listed on their gluten free menu items. I think you must have mis-read somewhere. Sorry!!

-Jessica

Perhaps this has already been posted but I thought McDonald's fries were safe... at this web site for McDonalds USA ingredients it clearly says that the fries contain wheat ingredients! When did this change occur?

The french fries are listed about half way down the page and it clearly says:

natural flavor ( beef, wheat, dairy sources).

This was the only place I would eat french fries and now it looks like that is out.

the page is here:

Open Original Shared Link

Susan

Does anyone have any info on the chain "on the border"? I'm curious what they offer that might be gluten free. Thanks for your help.

-Jessica

Barley isn't one of the top 8 allergens. That is why it was not listed. Only the top 8 are manditory to be listed with the new allergen labeling law.

-Jessica

I noticed the other day that something said contains milk and soy, but it also had barley malt in it, which was not listed as a main allergen, so you are right.... it pays to read carefully.

Yep gotta love those people. My favorite is when people say "well _______ must not be as severe as yours, she/he just takes the toppings off of pizza" or insert any other dumb comment. It's not a matter of severity dumbbutt lol You either have it or you don't. It just means that I follow the rules to stay healthy!! People crack me up, you just have to laugh about some things or you will go insane.

-Jessica

I called to double check today and they said it is certified gluten free.

-Jessica

Does anyone know if advil cold and sinus is gluten free? The thing that I question on the label is of course starch. Of course their 1-800 number is only open monday-friday ha Thanks for the help

in advance.

-Jessica

Isn't that sort of why we have the international room? It says for folks outside of the US. That way if they have product concerns they can discuss it there? I know that a great deal of people do NOT use that forum for their discussions, but is that why the board is set up that way? (just curious)

I also use people's signatures to find out where they are from. Most people say "from Canada" etc. Then I know where their info is comming from. If they are from outside of the US I usually ignore the information in reguards to products.

Like previously mentioned. I do not rely on the information here totally. I use it as a starting point. I always call or e-mail the manufacturer myself to get my own information.

I don't know what the answer is, I guess it's just to be careful of what you type, and always check for yourself before you eat something.

-Jessica

The other day I saw a post that indicated that Cocoa Krispies is gluten-free. It is NOT- it contains malt. I think that maybe someone was meaning Cocoa Pebbles (because they are gluten-free).

Also, I saw a post last week indicating that Corona beer is gluten free (the post stated it is made from corn). In the US Corona beer is NOT gluteen free.

I am asking that people be more careful when posting items that they believe to be gluten-free. There are many new people who are looking for help, and perhaps don't know where they should be going for information on gluten-free products. Please be careful as we are all so desperate for help (and at times desperate to hear that one of our old beloved foods is gluten-free). I personally don't rely on one person's statement that a product is gluten-free. I use this board as a starting point for good information, but I always make sure that I confirm it through the manufacturer, or an official celiac disease organization.

Also, please keep in mind that this forum is global - a product that is gluten free in one country, may not be in another.

I mentioned this the other day on another post and I want to reiterate - I am not saying that anyone is intentionally leading people astray. We are all human and make mistakes. This forum is a great resource for information - more so than any other place that I have found, and I value the advice of so many great people.

Thanks,

Here is the link to the bulk mix:

Open Original Shared Link

A 5-lb bag of our versatile cake and cookie mix that's enough to make 3-5 terrific desserts like Blueberry Bundt Cake, Chocolate Nut Coffee Cake, or Sicilian Ricotta Cheese Cake.

Ingredients: Rice flour, potato starch, sugar, gluten-free baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt.

ID #: 126031M

Price: $12.95

I buy the cake and cookie mix and also the chocolate truffle brownie mix in bulk. I use enough of it that it saves money to buy the larger sizes. I keep it in the freezer and just pull it out when I am ready to use it. Keeping it in the freezer lessens the chance of it spoiling Enjoy.

-Jessica

1) Do you enjoy Indian food? No

3) Do you prefer

[*]Chicken

[*]Beef

4) Do you eat pre-packaged food? Yes (sometimes)

5)If yes, how do you prefer to cook your food?

• Microwave
  

6) How many portions do you prefer your food to have? single,

Buying in such large quantities like that probably increases the chances for having other grains. They are probably only run through the cleaner once to take out debris (and other grains). You might try purchasing in a smaller bag. I have never had a problem with a small bag of kernels.

-Jessica

I'm hoping this was a once in a million occurance. I was cleaning up the big popcorn bowl (we popped our own) and saw what looked like a rat dropping in with the "old maids". I decided to check into it, since I was a little concerned that the bag of popcorn might be contaminated. Well, it wasn't a rat dropping (thankfully), but it was a slightly burned kernel of wheat, or possibly barley. Now I'm wondering if I need to be concerned about the whole 25 pound bag being cross-contaminated. Has anyone else had this happen? Should I just let the rest of my family eat the popcorn or consider that it was an errant kernel?

I would like to have it. I will pm you my address. Thank you so much. I have wanted to check it out (due to all the controversy), but havent' really had the extra money to spend. Thanks again!

-Jessica

Hey all. I am running out of bookshelf space so I am downsizing the collection. I have a copy of "The Gluten-Free Bible" if anyone wants it. It is NOT the ultimate authority that I thought that it would be, but it is a good start if you need something to get started. I am not trying to sell it, just send it to someone. I hate throwing things away, and I don't want to give it to goodwill because I am afraid that it will just end up on a shelf and no one will touch it for years. Maybe you need something to hand to your family so they will understand, here you go. Well, I will wait to hear from someone for a day or two, then it is off to the goodwill. Hope you are in good health! Tiffany

I hadn't heard that. Thanks!

-Jessica

Wyeth claims that all of thier products are gluten free.

Elonwy

I have made some of my old favorites that call for a cake mix. I just use the gluten free pantry's cake and cookie mix. (I buy the stuff in bulk!) It does a nice job as a substitute Hope it helps.

-Jessica

Does anyone out there have a recipe for gluten-free gooey butter cake? For those of you unfamiliar with the delicious dessert, here's the non-gluten-free recipe, but I don't know how to convert it b/c of the cake mix. It's a favorite of mine!

CRUST:

1 yellow cake mix

1 stick of butter

1 egg

TOPPING:

2 eggs

8 oz. cream cheese

4 cups powdered sugar

I would be forever in your debt if you could make this a gluten-free recipe!

Thank you!

Does anyone know if advil cold and sinus is gluten free? The thing that I question on the label is of course starch. Of course their 1-800 number is only open monday-friday ha Thanks for the help

in advance.

-Jessica

I found this info in another spring roll recipe. I thought I would post it here incase anybody tries making egg rolls. Tips are always good in trying to cook something new.

One by one, moisten the rice wrappers with a damp tea towel and fill with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mixture. Roll the wrappers, and allow them to set for 30 minutes.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Fry the spring rolls one or two at a time until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

-Jessica

Have you tried them? Are they tasty?? A girl's gotta know!

-Jessica

<a name="Pork Spring Rolls"> Spring Rolls

Filling:

1 lb ground pork

1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced

4-6 carrots, grated

1 onion, diced

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

salt

pepper

12 ounce package Round Rice Paper Wrappers (about 30 wraps)

1. Toss filling ingredients together and brown in a skillet or wok until cooked through.
   
2. Dip one wrapper into pan of boiling water to soften.
   
3. Spoon 2-3 Tbsp uncooked filling onto a softened wrap. Roll one side edge of wrap over filling, tuck in top and bottom ends, and continue rolling. Place seam side down on counter. Continue filling and rolling wraps until all wraps are rolled.
   

Eat spring roll as is, or for a crispy wrap, fry a few at a time in very hot oil (350-375 F) until wrappers are lightly browned.