I recently spent several days in Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia.
While there, my family suggested that we visit a restaurant called Ninety-Nine.
(Address: 500 Easton Road, Warrington, PA 18976 215-343-8099)
My family members stated that they had ate here several times in the past and that the food was good. My family (this is my extended family) knows that I have a gluten intolerance and is used to dealing with my diet.
My cousin told me that they had a gluten free menu. I was skeptical, since at many other places the offerings are usually things that don't usually contain gluten (steak, salad, etc.) I was surprised to find that they offered a Gluten free Cheeseburger. After being seated, I made the waitress aware of my food needs and she presented me a gluten free diet menu. They have a small, but impressive, selection of foods.
I enjoyed (and devoured) the Gluten Free Bacon and Cheese Steakburger. This actually came out on a GF Bun. Something I have never seen in a commercial restaurant. The burger was delicious, the bun itself was a little crumbly, but still good. The best part about it, was that you couldn't really tell that I was eating something different and the texture was fine. For desert, we enjoyed a hot fudge sunday. Yum.
The dining experience was wonderful. The service was great and the waitress was understanding and took the time to talk with me regarding my needs. I give them an A+ all around.
On the flipside of this wonderful dining experience is Houlihans.
(Address: Houlihans Restaurant
27 W. Chocolate Ave
Hershey, PA )
On our way home from Pennsylvania, we stopped in Hershey so that my children could experience Chocolate World (I recommend it to anyone. I used to love going there as a child!). My mother in law saw the sign for Houlihans and said that she'd been to one before and the food was great.
I was game, as I looked them up on my phone and saw that they had a gluten free menu.
After being seated, I informed the waitress that I would need a gluten free menu and that I was a gluten free diner.
The atmosphere was nice and we had ample room at our table. That was the best part about our dining experience.
The disclaimer on the menu reads: "We are not a gluten-free environment but items indicated by a G, have gluten-free ingredients."
My husband (who is not a GF diner) and I ordered Chicken Skewers (with mint yogurt & cilantro-peanut pesto) and waited patiently while our food came. I was at a table with six other people (including two children). The other people at the table got there drinks and salads while I patiently waited for my food. TWENTY FIVE minutes later (while my family was eating there main course) I finally got my appetizer. Since I had never ate at this restaurant before, I had no clue what to expect my dish to look like. The waitress finally brought out a dish with chicken and some sort of noodle on it. After finally flagging her down, I asked her if the noodles were gluten free and she said "oh, do you need a gluten free meal?".
Why yes, yes I do. I did afterall tell you that when I ordered (although I didn't actually say this, I really wanted to.)
After telling her that I did need a gluten free appetizer, specifically the one that I ordered, she took away the noodle one and said she'd be right back.
She never came back with my appetizer.
Ever.
Finally she came back with my entree. (Or as the menu says, "Big Small Plates"). My entree was the Grilled 4oz Petite Filet Mignon with French Fries. (Which was cold). At this point, my family had finished the appetizer and the entree and was working on dessert. The filet mignon was good, but cold. I was afraid to ask her to warm it up, since she took the appetizer and never brought another one, so I just ate it that way. I'm sure that it would've been better if it was served when it should've been.
After finishing the filet, she presented me the check and I was floored to see that not only did she charge me for my appetizer (you know, the one I NEVER GOT!), but also for the one that she brought to the table. She then proceeded to argue with me about it. She stated that I never told her I was a gluten free diner (although my husband and mother both heard her) but that since the appetizer was brought to the table, I was charged for it because they couldn't recycle it. At this point, I probably had steam coming out of my head. I'm normally a very even keeled person, but at this point I was pissed, hungry and this was the culmination to a very emotional weekend (we'd traveled to bury my only remaining grandparent) I ripped into her.
I walked out of the restaurant with a free meal and the apologizes of the General Manager. My family said that the food that they received was well cooked and tasty. I'd like to say the same about mine, but can't. I'm not sure, if given the opportunity, I would step foot into another Houlihans. Nor will I recommend it to anyone that I know, gluten free diner or not. Because of my family, I won't give them an F, (they afterall enjoyed the food that they received) but for the gluten free diner, and paying customer, I'll give them a D-.
I'm hoping that 99 will come to the Richmond area soon. I'm not hoping the same for Houlihans.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Giant Chocolate Chip Muffins (Gluten Free)
So I recently purchased a nook. It's something that I've been wanting for a long time and I finally took the plunge. I downloaded several gluten free cookbooks to try, one of them being Gluten-Free Quick & Easy by Carol Fenster. If your interested it's available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
The first step in the Giant Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe is to make the Muffin mix skeleton.
I didn't use the suggested flours that are in the book, because I was unable to find the ones that were suggested. What I did do however is purchase Bob's Red Mill GF All-Purpose Baking Flour which contains all the ingredients that are recommended for the flour in the book.
Ingredients:
Bob's Red Mill GF All-Purpose Baking Flour (the entire bag)
3 cups cane sugar
8 teaspoons baking powder
6 teaspoons xanthan gum
4 teaspoons table salt
Take a sieve and sift the ingredients together over a storage container. Sift 2 cups flour blend, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the xanthan gum and 1 teaspoon salt. Do this three times.
Seal the container and shake the contents
To make the muffins:
Ingredients:
3 cups of the above mix
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's).
2 eggs at room temperature
1 cup milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup white chocolate chips (this is not part of the original recipe, I added it myself 'cause I like white chocolate).
You are going to need a LARGE muffin pan. I had to go to Bed, Bath and Beyond and get one. It cost me $19.00 and was made by Chicago Metallic.
I greased the muffin pan using canola oil and set my oven to 375.
I mixed all my ingredients together and 'tasted' the batter before placing it in the muffin tin. This is where things got a little sketchy. The batter tasted horrible. A cross between chocolate flavored beans and a strong metallic taste. At this point I started adding sugar, salt and xanthan gum incrementally until the batter tasted good. I placed the batter in the muffin holes and cooked it for 30 minutes at 375. I took it out and it was still liquid in the middle so I turned my over down to 200 and cooked them ten minutes longer.
After taking them out and letting them cool I got my 'testers' (aka my two oldest children, my niece and nephew and my father-in-law) to try them. They were pretty good, for a first try. I'm not sure what they would've tasted like if I hadn't altered the batter, but I wasn't willing to take that chance.
Here are the end results:
The first step in the Giant Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe is to make the Muffin mix skeleton.
I didn't use the suggested flours that are in the book, because I was unable to find the ones that were suggested. What I did do however is purchase Bob's Red Mill GF All-Purpose Baking Flour which contains all the ingredients that are recommended for the flour in the book.
Ingredients:
Bob's Red Mill GF All-Purpose Baking Flour (the entire bag)
3 cups cane sugar
8 teaspoons baking powder
6 teaspoons xanthan gum
4 teaspoons table salt
Take a sieve and sift the ingredients together over a storage container. Sift 2 cups flour blend, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the xanthan gum and 1 teaspoon salt. Do this three times.
Seal the container and shake the contents
To make the muffins:
Ingredients:
3 cups of the above mix
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's).
2 eggs at room temperature
1 cup milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup white chocolate chips (this is not part of the original recipe, I added it myself 'cause I like white chocolate).
You are going to need a LARGE muffin pan. I had to go to Bed, Bath and Beyond and get one. It cost me $19.00 and was made by Chicago Metallic.
I greased the muffin pan using canola oil and set my oven to 375.
I mixed all my ingredients together and 'tasted' the batter before placing it in the muffin tin. This is where things got a little sketchy. The batter tasted horrible. A cross between chocolate flavored beans and a strong metallic taste. At this point I started adding sugar, salt and xanthan gum incrementally until the batter tasted good. I placed the batter in the muffin holes and cooked it for 30 minutes at 375. I took it out and it was still liquid in the middle so I turned my over down to 200 and cooked them ten minutes longer.
After taking them out and letting them cool I got my 'testers' (aka my two oldest children, my niece and nephew and my father-in-law) to try them. They were pretty good, for a first try. I'm not sure what they would've tasted like if I hadn't altered the batter, but I wasn't willing to take that chance.
Here are the end results:
More Gluten Free Items found.
I hate grocery shopping, I most especially hate doing it with my children. My four year old thinks that she needs everything that we go by, and she's very slick with putting things in the cart that I don't see. She's a sneaky one.
So while I was at Wal-Mart yesterday, I happened to be walking down an aisle and found a box of Biscuit mix, with the words 'Gluten Free' on the front. I have yet to use the mix, but I was just excited to actually find it that I had to tell everyone.
Also found in my local Wal-Mart (and not any other grocery store to date) was the new Chex. I love Chex cereal. I like it better than any of 'special gluten free cereals' that you find at Whole Foods, etc. I'm absolutely ecstatic about that face that there are two new flavors (apparently there's five, but I"ve only ever seen the two new ones). In addition to Rice and Corn chexs that are plain, there are now Cinnnamon Chex and Honey Nut Chex. I haven't tried the Honey Nut yet, but I have tried the Cinnamon and they are delicious. Yum-o. I highly recommend them and at my store they are $3.00 a box, which is the average price for cereal that's 'regular'. There is apparently a GF Chocolate Chex, but I have yet to be able to find it. I'll keep looking though.
So while I was at Wal-Mart yesterday, I happened to be walking down an aisle and found a box of Biscuit mix, with the words 'Gluten Free' on the front. I have yet to use the mix, but I was just excited to actually find it that I had to tell everyone.
Also found in my local Wal-Mart (and not any other grocery store to date) was the new Chex. I love Chex cereal. I like it better than any of 'special gluten free cereals' that you find at Whole Foods, etc. I'm absolutely ecstatic about that face that there are two new flavors (apparently there's five, but I"ve only ever seen the two new ones). In addition to Rice and Corn chexs that are plain, there are now Cinnnamon Chex and Honey Nut Chex. I haven't tried the Honey Nut yet, but I have tried the Cinnamon and they are delicious. Yum-o. I highly recommend them and at my store they are $3.00 a box, which is the average price for cereal that's 'regular'. There is apparently a GF Chocolate Chex, but I have yet to be able to find it. I'll keep looking though.
Next up, Muffins. I'll let you know how they turn out!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
General Mills releases list of 250 gluten free products.
What a great idea from General Mills. They've recently introduced a variety of gluten free (some were already gluten free) products. There are over 250 products on the list. What this means is that us people living gluten free don't have to shop for products at specialty stores anymore (for the most part). One of my most favorite foods to eat, Yoplait, is on the list. So go ahead and enjoy these products that General Mills have introduced.
BETTY CROCKER® DESSERT MIXES
| • | Gluten Free Brownie Mix | 16000-27793 |
| • | Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix | 16000-27794 |
| • | Gluten Free Devil’s Food Cake Mix | 16000-27792 |
| • | Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix | 16000-27791 |
BETTY CROCKER® RICH & CREAMY FROSTINGS
| • | Butter Cream | 16000-38060 |
| • | Cherry | 16000-45890 |
| • | Chocolate | 16000-45840 |
| • | Coconut Pecan | 16000-41239 |
| • | Cream Cheese | 16000-45960 |
| • | Creamy White | 16000-16166 |
| • | Dark Chocolate | 16000-45860 |
| • | Lemon | 16000-45850 |
| • | Milk Chocolate | 16000-45900 |
| • | Rainbow Chip | 16000-46070 |
| • | Triple Chocolate Fudge Chip | 16000-52440 |
| • | Vanilla | 16000-45830 |
BETTY CROCKER®WHIPPED FROSTINGS
| • | Butter Cream | 16000-32990 |
| • | Chocolate | 16000-32320 |
| • | Cream Cheese | 16000-37420 |
| • | Fluffy White | 16000-37460 |
| • | Milk Chocolate | 16000-37410 |
| • | Strawberry Mist | 16000-37400 |
| • | Vanilla | 16000-37430 |
| • | Whipped Cream | 16000-41777 |
FRUIT BY THE FOOT® FRUIT SNACKS
| • | Berry Berry Twist 6 Ct | 16000-19400 |
| • | Berry Blast 6 Ct | 16000-29453 |
| • | Berry Tie-Dye 6 Ct | 16000-27700 |
| • | Berry Tie-Dye/Color by the Foot Value Pack | 16000-16710 |
| • | Boo Berry 6 Ct | 16000-14965 |
| • | Color by the Foot 6 Ct | 16000-38500 |
| • | Franken Berry 6 Ct | 16000-14964 |
| • | Razzle Blue Blitz 6 ct | 16000-27728 |
| • | Strawberry 6 Ct | 16000-49300 |
| • | Tropical Twist Ct | 16000-29454 |
| • | Variety Pack 14 Ct | 16000-41923 |
| • | Variety Pack (Monsters) 28 Ct | 16000-41399 |
| • | Variety Pack (Strawberry, Color by the Foot/Berry Tie-Dye) | 16000-19430 |
| • | Variety Pack 28 Ct | 16000-50660 |
| • | Variety Pack 42 Ct | 16000-19999 |
| • | Watermelon 6 Ct | 16000-36780 |
FRUIT BY THE FOOT® MINIS FRUIT SNACKS
| • | Berry Wave 10 Ct | 16000-17374 |
| • | Wicked Web Halloween 28 Ct | 16000-27299 |
FRUIT GUSHERS® FRUIT SNACKS
| • | Blue Raspberry 6 Ct | 16000-13394 |
| • | Flavor Shock 6 Ct | 16000-15835 |
| • | Halloween Tropical Mix 12 Ct | 16000-43436 |
| • | Mouth Mixers Punch Berry 6 Ct | 16000-40508 |
| • | Strawberry 6 Ct | 16000-49120 |
| • | Strawberry/Tropical 28 Ct | 16000-28161 |
| • | Triple Berry Shock 6 Ct | 16000-24370 |
| • | Tropical 15 Ct | 16000-17643 |
| • | Tropical Flavors 6 Ct | 16000-24070 |
| • | Value Pack (Strawberry/Tropical) 12 Ct | 16000-14707 |
| • | Value Pack 14 Ct | 16000-41924 |
| • | Variety Pack (Strawberry/Watermelon/Tropical) 6 Ct | 16000-15910 |
| • | Watermelon Blast 6 Ct | 16000-32830 |
FRUIT ROLL-UPS® FRUIT SNACKS
| • | Around the World 10 Ct | 16000-44158 |
| • | Blastin’ Berry Hot Colors 10 Ct | 16000-35510 |
| • | Blastin’ Berry Hot Colors 25 Ct | 16000-19713 |
| • | Blastin’ Berry Hot Colors 48 Ct | 16000-13055 |
| • | Bonus Value Pack 22 Ct | 16000-41922 |
| • | Crazy Pix Cool Chix Berry Wave 10 ct | 16000-42188 |
| • | Crazy Pix Wild Ones Blastin’ Berry 10 Ct | 16000-42189 |
| • | Flavor Wave 10 Ct | 16000-15360 |
| • | Scoops Fruity Ice Cream Flavors 10 Ct | 16000-43448 |
| • | Simply Fruit Variety Pack (Wildberry/Strawberry) 42 Ct | 16000-28856 |
| • | Stickerz Berry Cool Punch 8 Ct | 16000-26297 |
| • | Stickerz Mixed Berry 8 Ct | 16000-17436 |
| • | Stickerz Tropical Berry Flavor 8 Ct | 16000-17435 |
| • | Strawberry 4 Ct | 16000-39480 |
| • | Strawberry Sensation 10 Ct | 16000-35540 |
| • | Tropical Tie-Dye 10 Ct | 16000-39700 |
| • | Value Pack (Strawberry/Berry Cool Punch) 20 Ct | 16000-12709 |
| • | Value Pack Stickerz (Mixed Berry/Tropical Berry) 32 Ct | 16000-42142 |
| • | Value Pack Stickerz 48 Ct | 16000-42141 |
| • | Variety Pack (Strawberry/Tie-Dye/Wildfire) 10 Ct | 16000-18910 |
| • | Variety Pack Stickerz | 16000-42307 |
FRUIT ROLL-UPS® MINIS FRUIT SNACKS
| • | Strawberry Craze 18 Ct | 16000-17313 |
| • | Wildberry Punch 18 Ct | 16000-17314 |
FRUIT SHAPES® FRUIT SNACKS
| • | Care Bears 10 Ct | 16000-17731 |
| • | Comics 10 Ct | 16000-16174 |
| • | Create-A-Bug 10 Ct | 16000-28139 |
| • | Create-A-Dino 10 Ct | 16000-28478 |
| • | Dora the Explorer 10 Ct | 16000-26133 |
| • | Easter Fruit Flavored Snacks | 16000-28793 |
| • | Halloween 30 Ct | 16000-26048 |
| • | Halloween 42 Ct | 16000-28648 |
| • | My Little Pony 10 Ct | 16000-17110 |
| • | Nickelodeon 10 Ct (NEW) | 16000-26674 |
| • | Scooby-Doo 10 Ct | 16000-23760 |
| • | Scooby-Doo 25 Ct | 16000-19712 |
| • | Scooby-Doo 4 Ct | 16000-11080 |
| • | Scooby-Doo 46 Ct | 16000-40939 |
| • | Shark Bites 10 Ct | 16000-39110 |
| • | Spiderman 10 Ct | 16000-14114 |
| • | Sponge Bob 10 Ct | 16000-26134 |
| • | Sunkist Mixed Fruit 10 Ct | 16000-27784 |
| • | Transformers 10 Ct | 16000-28089 |
| • | Valentine Hearts 20 Ct | 16000-17143 |
| • | Valentine Hearts 42 Ct | 16000-19487 |
| • | Value Pack Sunkist 24 Ct | 16000-27129 |
| • | Variety Pack Scooby-Doo/Looney Tunes 20 Ct | 16000-18280 |
FRUIT SNACKS VARIETY PACKS
| • | Gushers (Tropical) /Fruit by the Foot (Strawberry) 26 Ct | 16000-17626 |
| • | Gushers/Fruit Roll-Ups/Fruit by the Foot Variety Pack 16 Ct | 16000-17065 |
| • | Gushers/Fruit Roll-Ups/Fruit by the Foot Variety Pack 8 Ct | 16000-17067 |
| • | Mystery 16 Ct | 16000-40507 |
| • | Scooby-Doo Fruit Roll-Ups/Fruit Shapes 8 Ct | 16000-26828 |
| • | Chocolate Chex® | 16000-27473 |
| • | Cinnamon Chex® | 16000-26344 |
| • | Corn Chex® | 16000-27558 |
| • | Honey Nut Chex® | 16000-27531 |
| • | Rice Chex® | 16000-27559 |
VALLEY FRESH STEAMERS™
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Broccoli Cuts | 20000-27332 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Chopped Broccoli | 20000-27333 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Cut Green Beans | 20000-27334 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Extra Sweet Niblets Corn | 20000-27335 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Mixed Vegetables | 20000-27337 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Niblets Corn | 20000-27336 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Select Baby Sweet Peas | 20000-29016 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Select Broccoli Florets | 20000-29015 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Select Sugar Snap Peas | 20000-29018 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Select White Shoepeg Corn | 20000-29017 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Select Whole Green Beans | 20000-29014 |
| • | Valley Fresh Steamers Sweet Peas | 20000-27338 |
LÄRABAR® BARS (16 CT PACK / BAR UPC)
| • | Apple Pie | 21908-45302 / 50927 |
| • | Banana Bread | 21908-45301 / 50926 |
| • | Cashew Cookie | 21908-45304 / 50925 |
| • | Cherry Pie | 21908-45315 / 50924 |
| • | Chocolate Coconut Chew | 21908-45314 / 50923 |
| • | Cinnamon Roll | 21908-45313 / 50922 |
| • | Cocoa Molé | 21908-45312 / 50921 |
| • | Coconut Cream Pie | 21908-45311 / 50919 |
| • | Ginger Snap | 21908-45309 / 50918 |
| • | Key Lime Pie | 21908-45305 / 50914 |
| • | Lemon Bar | 21908-45308 / 50917 |
| • | Peanut Butter & Jelly | 21908-43265 / 50932 |
| • | Peanut Butter Cookie | 21908-45307 / 50916 |
| • | Pecan Pie | 21908-45306 / 50915 |
| • | Pistachio | 21908-45303 / 50913 |
| • | Tropical Fruit Tart | 21908-43264 / 50931 |
| • | Minis Variety Pack (Apple/Cherry/Cashew) 12Ct | 21908-47138 |
LÄRABAR® JŎCALAT™ BARS (16 CT PACK / BAR UPC)
PROGRESSO® BROTH
| • | Chocolate | 21908-45318 / 50912 |
| • | Chocolate Cherry | 21908-45319 / 50907 |
| • | Chocolate Coffee | 21908-45317 / 50911 |
| • | Chocolate Hazelnut | 21908-45321 / 50906 |
| • | Chocolate MinPROGRESSO® SOUP |
| • | Beef Flavored Broth | 41196-42121 |
| • | Chicken Broth | 41196-42122 |
| • | Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth | 41196-21223 |
PROGRESSO® RICH & HEARTY SOUP
| • | Rich & Hearty Chicken Corn Chowder | 41196-91416 |
PROGRESSO® TRADITIONAL SOUP
| • | Traditional 99% Fat Free New England Clam Chowder | 41196-91184 |
| • | Traditional Chicken Cheese Enchilada | 41196-91513 |
| • | Traditional Chicken Rice with Vegetable | 41196-01000 |
| • | Traditional Manhattan Clam Chowder | 41196-91111 |
| • | Traditional New England Clam Chowder | 41196-01112 |
| • | Traditional Potato Broccoli Cheese Chowder | 41196-91138 |
| • | Traditional Southwestern Style Chicken | 41196-91504 |
GO-GURT® YOGURT
TRIX® YOGURT
YOPLAIT® YOGURT FRIDGE PACK
YOPLAIT DELIGHTS™ PARFAIT
YOPLAIT® GREEK YOGURT
YOPLAIT KID® YOGURT
YOPLAIT® LIGHT YOGURT
YOPLAIT® LIGHT THICK & CREAMY YOGURT
YOPLAIT® ORIGINAL YOGURT
YOPLAIT® THICK & CREAMY YOGURT
YOPLAIT® YOGURT WAREHOUSE CLUB MULTI PACK
YOPLUS® YOGURT
YOPLUS LIGHT® YOGURT
|
A complete list of gluten free foods can be found here.
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