Toby and Jerry Bake up Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake

Gluten Intolerance and Following a Gluten-Free Diet

Our family met Toby and her husband Jerry when we lived in Florida. The funny thing is I had no idea that Toby recently discovered she was gluten intolerant and she didn't know I had written Celeste's Best Gluten-Free, Allergen-Free Recipes cookbook.

Years ago, I hardly came across anyone with celiac or gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivities. Now it seems whenever I mention it to someone, they have it or they have someone in their family or know someone who is following a gluten-free diet.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake Recipe (p. 309)

I received an email from Toby and Jerry the other day, and Toby had gotten the chance to try one of the recipes from my cookbook. She made the gluten-free Pumpkin Cake recipe from fresh baking pumpkins. I've never tried making it from fresh pumpkins and look forward to giving that a try now.

This afternoon, Jerry & I made your Pumpkin Cake on page 309.  We had so much fun!!  Our house has never smelled more delicious  J  Attached, please find pictures of our delightful experience.   Celeste, we are in culinary heaven from tasting the Pumpkin Cake.  In fact, there may not be any left by the end of the evening. 

Toby and Jerry even photographed their whole baking experience!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake Slideshow

Great Job Guys! It looks incredibly delicious! 

Gluten-Free Banana Cake with Crumb Topping - "Janice Goes Solo"

Mark loves to cook and does much of the cooking in his family.  Janice, though has been feeling more confident about cooking since trying some of the recipes in Celeste's Best Gluten-Free, Allergen-Free Recipes and made this amazing Banana Cake (recipe on page 216) using the baking mix recipe herself.  Here's part of the email I received from Mark:

Check out the new picture I attached. There's a funny story behind it. As you know, Janice doesn't cook too much...but the week after we bought the cookbook, she was loving everything that was in it and was off from work that week. One of those days I kept hearing banging and all kinds of noises from upstairs in the kitchen. It sounds like Janice is doing major construction up there. So after I finish downstairs and come up, I head straight for the kitchen to see what all that racket was. As soon as I turn the corner, I see Janice laughing and she has a kitchen towel over her shoulder, and some white stuff all over her face...never a good sign... and she tells me I'm not allowed in the kitchen yet . . This is what I saw.  I was amazed! and the best part about the whole story...well two best parts...the kitchen was in one piece and the Banana Cake with Crumb Topping was delicious! I call this picture "Janice Goes Solo".

Way to go, Janice!! I wasn't kidding when I said my recipes were straighforward and easy to follow! Thank you guys for taking the time to send me the incredible photos!

Zucchini Fritters and Shrimp and Calamari Salad

My sister Liz and her family also made a batch of the Zucchini Fritters and she tried the Shrimp and Calamari Salad on page 32 of Celeste's Best Gluten-Free, Allergen-Free Recipes.  She said they both were delicious.

John's Baked Chicken Wings

Received this photo and comment from my seventeen-year-old nephew John last night about the Baked Chicken Wings recipe on page 32 of Celeste's Best Gluten-Free, Allergen-Free Recipes:

My mom made the baked chicken wing recipe from Celeste's Best Cookbook.  I was amazed by the amount of flavor in each bite, and the great tasting seasoning on each wing.  It gave me the feeling it was deep-fried, meanwhile it was baked.  

Mark and Janice - Zucchini Bread and Escarole and Beans

I just realized I hadn't mentioned that Mark and Janice do not have celiacs or other food allergies. Still after they bought the book they wanted to try all the recipes and are making them all gluten free using my gluten free flour mix (recipe is in cookbook) for the recipes that require flour.  

Hope many of you reading this have great friends like this, too!

Here are their comments for the Zucchini Bread (pages 244-245) and the Escarole and Beans (page 74):

So last night we made the Zucchini Bread and the Escarole and Beans. The first Zucchini bread came out soggy because I didn't dry the zucchini enough but the second one came out perfect. I think the apple sauce and the cinnamon was a great idea. It makes for a slightly sweet taste in the bread and smells awesome when you're cooking it.

The escarole and beans came out really good too. I love beans and believe it or not I'm probably the only Italian that has never has escarole before... so this was my first time. I also really enjoy hot pepper and spicy foods so the crushed red pepper was a great addition. I may have cooked the beans a bit too much...but they came out great anyway. 

I can see where this is going to be a lot of fun for us.