Cake Decorating

Decorating a cake can seem like a very daunting task. But I say, not so! You can have a wonderful cake without putting tons of time into it. Or you can spend your time and make intricate cakes. I’ve done both. There can be pleasure in viewing the cake that took you 4 hours to decorate. However, I no longer long for that pleasure, lol. I want something that looks nice, uses perhaps a little creativity, and doesn’t take forever.

I would like to show some pictures of the cakes I have made in the past. The majority of them are gf cakes. I’m not a spectacular artist, and these definitely aren’t the work of a professional cake decorator. That’s my point. You can do this, too.

This cake was for Andy’s graduation from the fire academy. Unfortunately, that’s all I remember about it. (Pre-gf)

This was for Braden’s birthday, right after I went gf. So the cake was not gf this time, but it could have been if I had known what to do.

I can’t remember if the bride was gf or not. I do remember that I found that not only is fondant hard to work with, it is also extremely disgusting. I made this cake for my little brother’s wife’s bridal shower. It’s the Wonder Doll mold from Wilton. You could make something like this without it, though, by baking a cake in a bowl. However, the Wilton pan for this has a tube that runs through the middle to help the middle cook. This doll was just a half doll with a pick (from the cake pan set). You decorate her body with the icing, too. This cake required three different types of icing: the fondant, the buttercream, and a royal icing (I think) to make the flowers. Those I made ahead of time and let dry, and then pasted them on with the buttercream (including for her hair and bouquet). I have since said if I ever do one of these again, I will either make bumps on the skirt out of buttercream, or find some candy to make them out of and then cover with buttercream. But this was such a beautiful cake, it was a shame to eat it anyways.

My dad’s birthday falls between Father’s Day and Independence Day. So I kinda combined it for this cake.

Now, I know this one isn’t gluten-free, because it has Oreos and Twizzlers on it. But, it could be made gf, with Mi-Del gf chocolate sandwich cookies and some gf licorice. This was the last birthday of 2004 that I made a cake (Andy ends our streak in July). I started really baking gf that fall, and it didn’t take long before I considered myself fairly proficient at gf baking.

I made a gf red velvet cake for my Grandma in January of 2005. Unfortunately, I only have pictures of us consuming it, lol.

Bob the Builder was gluten-free, as are all cakes from here on out. Bob took me 4 hours to decorate by myself. It was the last time I made a cake that I had to pipe a thousand little stars.

And because Bob wasn’t enough cake for everyone, and my mom loves chocolate cake, I made another one for that party. Not fancy, but I made ocean waves out of the icing and put Shark Tale sprinkles on top.

2006 - I took the more laid-back approach to cake decorating. instead of spending 4 hours making a Thomas-shaped cake, I bought (for a couple of dollars) a Thomas train on a track from the Wal-Mart bakery. So, totally cool, right? A toy on top of the cake. Also, the tradition of Peeps on Braden’s cake was born. You will also notice a sun made out those candy orange slices.

I made my own baby shower cake. Not very exciting, but I was 9 months pregnant.  :)  It’s decorated with gummy bears and pacifiers.

Braden’s 5th birthday party was a bug party. So the peeps were chasing the gummy worms. The green flakes are coconut.

We held Carter’s 1st birthday party at the fire station, because Andy was working that day. This is one of those peel-apart cupcake cakes. It didn’t really take that long to decorate, because I was not concerned with making perfect stars (like I was with Bob or Blues Clues). I saved some more time by decorating with Skittles.

Now that Carter is a little bigger, and “helps” me in the kitchen, I have a little more time luxury than I had last year in creating cakes. Also, I had a dream (in January) detailing Braden’s birthday party, including the cake. That was nice - I was creative in my sleep. On Saturday, I realized there might be too many people for the 2-layer 9×13 cake I had made. So at 11:00 am, Braden and I raced to the kitchen and made a 2-layer 9 inch round cake (this one chocolate). We thought we would have enough time to let it cool for awhile and then decorate it before heading to the park to decorate for the party. Well, not so. My oven was being totally stupid, and I had to bake the cakes for an extra 25 minutes! So, we took warm cakes to the park and I iced them there. About a half hour into the party, I decorated the cakes (there wasn’t room for the decorations with the lids on). I’m well pleased with these cakes. I had bought some pirate toys from the Dollar Tree, and made eye patches (with chocolate fudge frosting) on the Peeps. So, I had Pirate Peeps! They were a hit, and so were the cakes. When Roben Ryberg’s new cookbook comes out, you will want it. These cakes are from that book. And let me tell you, they are the best cakes. The only reason people know they are gluten-free is they know I wouldn’t be making something that isn’t.

It’s surprising, to me, how many times I have failed to take pictures of the cakes before they got eaten. There should have been lots more to show you, but I think you’ve gotten the idea. Anyone can decorate a cake. You can do a lot or a little - have fun and use your creativity. If you’re making the cake for a child, utilize his or hers favorite candies or a toy on the top.  Even some adults love toys (my husband included).

Return of the Peanut Noodles

If you’ve been hanging out with me a long while, you may recall the Ode to My Peanut Noodles, wherein I expressed my deep concern that my favorite peanut noodles were no longer gluten-free.  Shortly thereafter, I received a reply from the company, which greatly relieved my sadness.

Well, Happy Day!  While shopping at Wally World today, I glanced in at A Taste of Thai peanut noodles, and what did I see?  Gluten-free is back on the side of the box.  Now, there was still a non-gf box on the shelf, but I found 2 that were gf.  Also, the pad thai are now gluten-free (they never were before).  These are great meals to take with you, because all you need is a bit of water, a microwave, and some kind of eating utensil (I prefer a fork, myself).

So seek out the new boxes, and enjoy, my friends.  Long live the peanut noodles!

Feta-Topped Chicken with Harvest Roasted Vegetables

Around the time that I first went gluten-free, my little brother wanted to make a scrumptious meal for me. Now, our family is a pretty plain family. Fancy food was never served in our house; Daddy is a very picky eater. (That is why this seems fancy and exciting to me.)

So, Corey (my li’l bro) found this recipe and made it for me. It was delicious! Now, of course, I have not eaten it in awhile - I know pregnant women aren’t supposed to eat feta cheese (because it’s not pasteurized). But I remember how pretty it looked and how yummy it was. So, please, enjoy this recipe.

Feta-Topped Chicken with Harvest Roasted Vegetables
Chicken: (4 servings)

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 ¼ lb)
2 tablespoons GF balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 large roma (plum) tomato, cut into 8 slices
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 oz) - less if you’re not a cheese lover

1. Set oven control to broil. Brush both sides of chicken breasts with dressing. Sprinkle both sides with Italian seasoning and seasoned pepper. Place on rack in broiler pan.

2. Broil with tops 4 inches from heat about 10 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Top with tomato and cheese. Broil 2 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese is lightly browned.

Vegetables:

Olive oil cooking spray
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into ¼-inch wedges
1 medium tomato, cut into ¼-inch wedges
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ teaspoon salt
Rosemary and garlic seasoning (or other, such as lemon pepper)

1. Set oven control to broil. Cover 15×10x1-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Place vegetables in single layer in pan. Spray vegetables with cooking spray. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt.

2. Broil with tops 4 inches from heat about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and seasoning.

Adapted from Betty Crocker Simple Healthy Meals

Interview with an Author

How about we shake things up a bit, and have a friendly little chat with a gluten-free cookbook author?

You should all know by now that Roben Ryberg, author of The Gluten-Free Kitchen, has a new cookbook that is soon to hit the stores. I wanted to share our friendship with you. So grab a snack and enjoy this interview!

Interview with Roben Ryberg

C: What pulled you into the gluten-free world?

R: A friend of mine, Jane Vent, asked me to make her something to eat. She knew I was a “foodie” so I was up for anything. However, the list was pretty intimidating… and that’s when most of the foods tasted like cardboard (or worse). The DC/Northern Virginia Celiac chapter took me under their wings with much encouragement and friendship. They told me when attempts were good, and when attempts were failures.

C: What, in your opinion, is the most important aspect about your first book?

R: It helps people be safe. Better nutrition is great, but one milestone needs to be made at a time. If a child doesn’t care for broccoli, we might drown it in cheese sauce to make it more appealing. Similarly, I think we need a good piece of chocolate cake before we need a very healthy piece of chocolate cake that doesn’t taste right. (After all, if a person cheats and their villi do not heal, nutrients may not be absorbed - no matter how healthy.)

So, be safe first. Enjoy your favorites, and eat more veggies.

C: What made you decide to write another gf cookbook?

R: I love (yes, oddly that is accurate) working with food. I thought, especially for beginners, it would be nice to have a comprehensive book that is easy to use. For example, more experienced gf cooks intuitively know how to modify a soup recipe to be gluten-free. This book removes the need for an underlying knowledge base and gets the reader eating good food immediately. For many, there is such a misconception that only broiled chicken and steamed veggies can be eaten on this “restrictive” diet. My newest book gives the reader hundreds of fearless options.

C: Tell us about your new book.

R: The new book is called You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten-Free. It gives the reader favorites thy might miss from a local bar, favorite fast-food place, local restaurant, or Grandma’s house. For example, calamari, fish and chips, orange chicken, or corn chowder. And we can’t forget sweets either! Wedding cake layers, chocolate souffle (one of my favorites), and cake that stays moist.

Like the first book, this book sticks with basic ingredients whenever possible. But unlike the first book, this one is even simpler. Many recipes use just one flour (just rice, just corn, just potato, or just oats). I have long believed that it makes no sense to give a person with a sensitive immune system a flour blend that utilizes grains that are among the top allergens in the US. To that end, it seemed natural to use just one grain at a time. That way, the reader can use whatever suits their tastebuds and their body.

Oh, and how about 25 ways to make poultry? Numerous seafood dishes? Grandma’s potato salad? Crackers and Soups? The new book is just full of yummy foods!

C: What is your greatest gf discovery?

R: That’s a hard question! I guess I’d say that greater difficulty or specialty ingredients do not necessarily yield better results. Perhaps the boldest discovery I made is to simplify. This simplification is most evident in using just one flour to make great baked goods. Many people believe you must use a flour blend in gluten-free cooking to achieve good results. I am proud to say, this is simply no longer true.

C: What made you decide to use single flours for so many recipes?

R: I think there are a lot of additional dietary concerns. Some people cannot tolerate certain grains, or may prefer the taste of one over the other. And, finally, I thought it would be great to grab a single box/bag of flour and a little xanthan gum, and that’s it. No tower of flours required. Really, almost everyone has cornstarch… give them a little xanthan gum and you can have tasty food. Same thing for potato starch, rice flour, and safe oats.

C: Where will you be June 6-7, 2008, and what will you be doing?

R: I will be in Dallas, Texas, at the National GIG Celiac Conference. I will have the privilege of talking about demystifying gluten-free baking. I can’t wait to share insights about xanthan gum, vinegar, baking powder, measurements, etc. I promise the presentation should be interesting. It should also give the listener a lot of “AHA” moments and a few laughs, too.

I’m also looking forward to learning a lot. So many industries are competitive and secretive. The GF community is like a camaraderie of friends all looking to make gf living better. A long time ago, I met Bette Hagman and she shared her insight into a cooking problem I couldn’t pinpoint - protein was the answer - LOL. I’d like to follow her lead.

C: What is the hardest part about writing a cookbook?

R: The hardest thing about writing a cookbook is not being able to share discoveries and new recipes with everyone. Oh, deadlines are pretty difficult, too.

C: What advice would you give to all the aspiring gf cookbook authors out there?

R: Find brutal friends that will eat anything/everything you make. This is not a time for people to be nice. Days of gf cardboard are mostly gone. Good for gf is not good enough anymore.

Lots of gf authors live a gf life. I think that puts them at both an advantage and a disadvantage. While we can all recall the flavor of a family favorite, it is difficult to create the nuances of a recipe never eaten before. Your taste-testers must be brutally honest and good at describing food.

Learn a lot about food theory. Devour anything you can get your hands on. Make friends with other foodies. The more you know, the better your cooking.

Look in the reference section of a large library for a book called The Writer’s Market. It will familiarize a writer with the process. Know exactly why you think your work merits publication. Why would a publisher would like your approach over the works already published? Why is your book better? How large is the market? What new do you bring to the mix?

And, lastly, don’t rush the process. Time and contemplation can bring much to the process. My time and contemplation were often dreams about gf food… a nightly loop of gf food theory… LOL.

Thank you, Roben, so much for sharing that with us.

And now, for a really special treat…

Waffles (cornstarch based)
from You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten-Free by Roben Ryberg

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 & 1/2 cup cornstarch (190 grams)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Directions:
Preheat waffle iron.
Place all ingredients in medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix very well. The batter will seem thin, but will thicken considerably when allowed to sit for a minute or two. The batter will better fill the waffle iron when the dough is thicker. Place large 1/2 cup batter into waffle iron. Cook to desired level of browning, about 1 & 1/2 minutes.
Makes 4 8-inch waffles.

These are my family’s absolutely favorite waffles. Give these a try. I’m sure you will be pleasantly surprised. We serve these to non-gf guests all the time.

Broccoli Salad

Picture a salad. What does it look like? What does it smell like? What does it taste like?

Is it mostly iceberg lettuce? Those were the kinds of salads I grew up on - iceberg lettuce, with carrots, bell peppers, and cucumber.

It does get a little boring after awhile, doesn’t it?

So try something new! This broccoli salad is totally different from that. It has fun flavors, and adds some zip to your meal (great for potlucks and such). Truthfully, it is the only way I’ll eat raw broccoli (I prefer mine steamed).

Broccoli Salad

1 bunch broccoli florets - chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 pound fried and crumbled bacon or 1/2 jar of Hormel Bacon Bits or Pieces
1/2 medium red onion - finely chopped
1/2 to 1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing:
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients together. Let chill 1 to 24 hours. (If you let it chill overnight or a whole day, the flavors really blend well, and it is much better.)