Gluten Free Lemon Chiffon Cake Recipe

Light and lemony - a perfect dessert for Mother's Day!

Isn't it pretty with its little lemon peel rosette?  If I'd had fresh raspberries or strawberries in the house, I would have added them around the border of the plate.  This is a lovely dessert any time of the year, but especially nice in the spring.  It reminds me of lemonade, but in a cake.  With Mother's Day coming up, it would be a lovely addition to a special dinner for Mom, and it's really easy to make with a cake mix!

So let's get right down to it!

SPH Gluten Free Lemon Chiffon Cake Recipe
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil or melted butter
3 eggs
grated zest of 1 lemon (get organic if possible)
2 T. lemon extract
1 cup egg whites (I use the kind that come in a carton from the store - easier, and doesn't deplete my supply of regular eggs)
1/2 t. cream of tartar


Glaze
1/2 c. Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
juice of 1 lemon (use the lemon you zested for the cake)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease bottom and sides of three 8" round cake pans.  Pour contents of cake mix into mixer bowl.  In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, oil/butter, 3 eggs, lemon zest and lemon extract.  Beat until lightly combined.  Beat liquid ingredients into cake mix, at medium speed, for only 2-3 minutes.  Be sure to stop and clean the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula FREQUENTLY, and beat only until everything is well combined and smooth.  DO NOT OVERBEAT, or your cake will be rubbery.  Definitely not a desired outcome.  In separate large bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks.  Gently fold in egg whites, just until mostly combined (if you have a few little bits of white showing, that's ok).  Don't stir them in - they will deflate, and that definitely will take away from that light and airy texture we've all come to expect from a chiffon cake.  Pour the batter as equally as possible into all three cake pans.  Place the pans on racks that are as centered as possible in your oven.  I place two cake pans on the top rack, and one on the bottom.  I also arrange them in sort of a vertical triangle to allow maximum air circulation in the oven for even baking.  Bake for about 45 minutes, or til tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow cakes to cool completely before removing from pan.

Meanwhile, make the glaze.  In a small bowl, combine the frosting and lemon juice.  Whisk until very smooth.  Drizzle over cooled cakes.

You can layer them to make a tall cake (be sure to make enough glaze to finish all three layers), or do individual layers, which is what I did in the photo above.  You can also do these as cupcakes.  If you want them really fancy, do the lemon peel rosette.  Just use a vegie peeler, and remove the yellow part only of a lemon rind.  Roll it up, starting at one end, then let it open on its own to form the flower.  Use more frosting if you want a thicker glaze, or add the lemon juice to the whole can for frosting instead of glaze. You can also make orange or lime chiffon - just use a different citrus fruit.

Try it - you'll like it!

Two Gentle Reminders

1. Did you register for the wonderful Fashion to Figure Giveaway?
2. Some great recipes this week - stay tuned!

Gluten Free Agua de Horchata Recipe

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Here's a  delicious recipe for an authentic Mexican  drink - like rice pudding in a glass...
So a while back I totally had a taste for Agua de Horchata.  It's a Mexican rice drink that really does taste like rice pudding in a glass.  Well, that sent me scurrying all over the net, reading recipe after recipe, until I came across this one.  And the second best part, with flavor being first, is that it is totally GLUTEN FREE!!!

Here's what I came up with:

SPH Agua de Horchata
2 cups long grain white rice (the kind you actually have to cook longer than 5 minutes)
3 cups boiling water
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 t. vanilla extract (more or less to taste - I use a whole tablespoon)
1/2 t. cinnamon (also more or less to taste)
1/3 cup sugar (again the more or less to taste thing)
4 cups milk or water (your choice - I only had half and half in the house, so that's what I used)

Put the rice in a quart size jar.  Add vanilla bean and seeds.  Cover with boiling water, filling jar all the way to the tippy top.  You may have a few tablespoons of water left in your measuring cup, but that's ok.  Put on a lid and a ring.

Allow to sit overnight.  After a nice long soak, remove (and discard) vanilla bean from jar and add the rice, soaking water, vanilla extract and cinnamon to a blender.  Puree until smooth.

Drain through a cheesecloth lined sieve into a medium-sized mixing bowl.  You will have to moosh the rice around in the cloth with a large spoon to really get every last bit of goodness.  In fact, when you think you've really gotten it all, wrap the cheesecloth up into a bundle around the rice, and SQUEEZE IT.  Squeeze it hard, like you're mad at someone.  Like they ate all your chocolate mad.  Pour the "milk" from the bowl back into the blender, and add sugar and milk/water, and blend again until well combined.  Serve chilled, even over ice if desired.

Agua de Horchata is so refreshing on a hot summer's day.  It has such simple flavors, but wow!  If you are feeling extravagant, spring for Mexican vanilla and Mexican cinnamon.  You can order the vanilla online through eBay for a really decent price.  Set aside some of the beans, and use some to make homemade vanilla extract.

Also, if you opt for the dairy free version, it would make a great base for a smoothie.  Make it even healthier by swapping in honey or agave for the sugar.  After draining the rice milk in the sieve and putting it back in the blender, throw in some frozen berries or other fruit.  Oh, so good!

Enjoy!

***FASHION TO FIGURE GIVEAWAY***

Good morning, everyone - today we have a great GIVEAWAY!!!

***THIS IS A COMPENSATED POST***

***ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN***

As women, aren't we all sick and tired of clothing that's designed to fit the mannequin in the window or some stick figure model who wears a size 0 (on a bad day if she's gorged on half a grape)?  We are three-dimensional and have CURVES!

Well, Fashion to Figure has awesome, current fashions for women who are size 12-26.  With everything from modest to MEE-YOW!, you're sure to find what you are looking for!  Just in time for summer - great clothing that actually FITS!

Here is one of my favorites - the Summer Bloom Striped Maxi Dress:

Perfect for a picnic or even church!  Add a sweater or jacket to wear to fireworks on the 4th of July or a casual Friday at work.  I love how the flowers add such a feminine and dramatic feminine touch, drawing your eye up and down, doing that magic slimming thing!

Need some accessories to go with your lovely new fashions?  Check out the handbags and jewelry or how about a cute belt?!

And all at reasonable prices - including a flat shipping rate of $5.95, with free shipping for orders over $70!

So here's the fun part - THE GIVEAWAY!!!!

One lucky reader will win their choice of items, priced $30 or less.  Sorry, but this will be limited to US readers only.  Here's how to enter - leave a comment for each item that you do.  The more comments, the more chances to win!

1. *MANDATORY*  Visit fashiontofigure.com, and leave a comment here telling us what your favorite item is.
2. *MANDATORY* FRIEND Suburban Prairie Homemaker - use GFC or Linky Followers - your choice.  Already a follower?  Just leave a comment that says so. And thank you!
3. FOLLOW Suburban Prairie Homemaker on Facebook.
4. POST about the giveaway on Facebook.
5. FOLLOW Suburban Prairie Homemaker on Twitter.
6. TWEET about the giveaway.
7. FOLLOW Suburban Prairie Homemaker on Pinterest.

Fine print type stuff:
Entries will start today, and end on May 18th at 11:59 PM CDT (aka Chicago time).  Winner will be posted on Saturday, May 19th, and will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

So go clothes shopping, and let us know what caught YOUR eye!  Have fun, and have a great weekend!

Pardon Our Dust!!!

So I spent most of the day yesterday updating the look of the old blog homestead...

Quick story time:

  The lilies of the valley (white bell shaped flowers) remind me of my mom.  My grandmother grew them on the side of her house, and on the morning of my parents' wedding, there was my mom, picking them frantically to get them to the florist to be included in her bouquet. She had a morning wedding, by the way, so you can imagine how fast she was trying to work and still get herself ready for the big day!

These are heirloom lilies - my great-grandmother gave some extras to my grandmother when Grandma and Grandpa moved into their house.  Then, when my parents bought our old house, they took a clump with them.  When my mom passed, and my dad decided to sell that same house, a few clumps of the lilies moved to a special spot right outside my back door. They are actually blooming right now, and have the most amazing fragrance!

This turquoise-type blue is

one of my 2 favorite colors

(the other is denim).

And yes, my two favorite colors are

shades of blue.

My third favorite color is dirt.

But I digress...

Yes, I designed and created the background myself.  I used digital scrapbooking materials from CottageArts.net, and followed the directions I found here to make your own scrapbook background and here to make your own background in PowerPoint.

After a LOT of tweaking,

I think you'll agree,

it's turned out pretty well!

I'm still working on adjusting the sizes of buttons and gadgets, and I'm planning on adding my own social media icons.  I'm also working on drop down menus for some new tabs at the top, and  let's just say there are a few other surprises I have up my sleeve.  

Stay tuned for more of the new and improved Suburban Prairie Homemaker, and

a ***GIVEAWAY*** tomorrow!

My Gluten Free Pantry

How to stock a gluten free pantry...

***THIS IS NOT A COMPENSATED POST***

***ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MY OWN***

Let's face it - our lives are so hectic and frantic these days.  Between Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Venture Crew, 4H, church youth group, and other volunteer time, the Suburban Prairie Home sees its fair share of commotion, especially at dinner time.  It's so nice to be able to have staples on hand to cook with.

But when you stare down all those aisles at the store, how do you know what's safe for those with gluten issues and what's not?

With the literally thousands of items in any supermarket, it would take you a lifetime to read all those labels, check all the websites, and call all those companies.  Enter Triumph Dining.  For us, their books and other products have made a world of difference.

For example, The Essential Gluten-Free Grocery Guide lists products on any supermarket shelf that are safe.  And I do mean any supermarket - everywhere from Albertsons to WalMart!  This book allows me to walk in to our local stores, with a list of safe name-brand and store-brand items.  And, believe it or not, WalMart's store brand, Great Value(R), pops up pretty much in every category.  Last fall, when Princess wanted to try a recipe, one of the main ingredients was chili sauce.  This was a new ingredient to the Suburban Prairie Kitchen, and you can imagine how hesitant I was at first.  So, I looked up chili sauce in the book.  Sure enough, there it was, and it was Great Value(R) brand.  This allowed me to try a new product without breaking the bank.

Be sure to visit the website, and sign up for their newsletter.  It's got gluten free recipes and other goodies, too.

So what to keep on hand in your own gluten free pantry?  I made a master list yesterday of everything I keep stocked up on and the brands, and I'd like to share that with you.

Baking mixes:  Betty Crocker, Gluten Free Pantry, Gluten Free Bisquick, Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix, Breads by Anna

Hershey's cocoa (the baking cocoa) and baking chips

Heath (brand) toffee baking chips

Beans - canned (365 Organic brand) and dry

Rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa and salba; also Lundberg Organic Gluten Free Couscous (plain and savory herb)

Fruit - frozen (365 brand - organic when possible) and canned (store brand); also fresh when in season.  We almost always have fresh apples, bananas, oranges, and lemons on hand, and also orange juice.

Vegetables - same as the fruit; we almost always have fresh carrots, celery, potatoes and onions on hand.

Snacks - Smoreables graham crackers, Glutino pretzels and chocolate sandwich cookies, Kettle (brand) potato chips, Xochitl corn chips, Lara Bars; occasionally, we also have MnM's (R) and Butterfinger (R) bars.

Cereal:  Chex (rice, corn, honey, cinnamon) and Gluten Free Rice Krispies (R)

Pasta:  Annie Chun's Pad Thai Brown Rice Noodles

Tomato products:  Muir Glen salsa, pasta sauce, tomatoes and tomato paste

Annie's Naturals BBQ sauce (sweet & spicy and smoky maple)

Great Value chili sauce, mayonnaise, non-dairy creamer (french vanilla and plain), non-fat dry milk, corn syrup

Jello (brand) pudding and gelatin

Pacific Foods organic beef broth, organic free range chicken stock, organic cream of chicken soup

Gluten Free Cafe gluten free chicken noodle soup

Agave nectar, local honey, maple syrup, organic sugar

Smucker's (brand) ice cream toppings (butterscotch, hot fudge, and milk chocolate - in glass jars) - occasionally

Marshmallows (occasionally)

Breads:  Udi's (brand) white bread, whole grain, and millet chia;  Against the Grain baguettes and pizza crusts; Van's frozen gluten free waffles

Meats:  CSA share, Applegate Farms frozen chicken nuggets and tenders, lunch meats (ham and turkey)

Dairy/Non-Dairy: cheese (sliced and shredded), lactose free milk, half-n-half, heavy cream, frozen non-dairy whipped topping, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, butter, chocolate Silk(R), cream cheese

Frozen:  Udi's cheese pizzas, Amy's frozen meals (favorites in my house are the enchilada meals, tamale meals, and gluten free garden vegetable lasagna)

Condiments & Misc:  Organicville Ketchup, 365 Organic Dijon mustard, frosting, homemade jams and jellies, peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter,

I think that's everything.  Do I have every single item on hand every single day?  No.  We all run out of things, and if I'm not making certain recipes, then some of the items tend to be left at the store.  Some things go faster than others, especially with a teenage boy in the house.  I just wanted to give you an overview of what's possible.  You'll notice we have our fair share of convenience items and snack foods, just like any other household.

Hopefully, this will encourage you on your gluten free walk.  When folks tell you there's nothing to eat when you go gluten free, show them my list.  Better yet, show them your shopping cart full of groceries!

Have a great Wednesday!

Celiac Awareness Month

For May, I thought I'd focus more on eating and dining gluten free, complete with GREAT recipes.  Don't worry - Tea for Tuesday and One Yard Wednesday will be back in June, along with a new feature for Fridays.  As always, all the recipes featured here are gluten free or offer a gluten free alternative.  I'm busy baking today, and will be bringing these super yummy gluten free recipes starting tomorrow.  By the way, you'll want to click to continue reading!


Before I get started, let me just clarify that I'm a mom.  I'm not a doctor.  I'm not a nutritionist.  I don't even play one on TV.  Choices that you make regarding your health care are your responsibility, and should involve consulting your physician.  This is especially true if you suspect or have been diagnosed with celiac disease or other health issues.


May is National Celiac Awareness Month.  If you are newly diagnosed, or suspicious of your health issues, The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is a great website to visit any time of the year.  This month, they have several online events planned as well as a sweepstakes for a gluten free pantry (donation required).

When you first hear the news about having to radically change your diet and lifestyle, it can be overwhelming.  There is so much information to go through - whether that info comes from a doctor, a nutritionist, online, or all of the above.  At the time we were told about Hubby's issues, I literally spent several hours a day for several days going through books, websites, and anything else I could get my hands on.  During all of this, I realized there had to be an easier way to break this down for the average person.

So where do you start when you have to go gluten free?  To make it easy, let's look at the My Plate graphic from the USDA.

SOURCE

Seems simple enough, right?  We'll take it piece by piece...

Fresh and frozen plain fruits and vegetables are naturally gluten free.  And let's face it - we all need to eat more of both of those.  Make these your go-to snacks.  Apples or celery with nut butter are a fantastic choice for after school.

The glass of dairy is pretty self-explanatory.  You can also have a cup of yogurt, or some cheese.  If you also have dairy issues, find a healthy non-dairy alternative, such as soy, almond, rice, etc.  Personally, I do a little of both.  Chocolate Silk(TM) is a favorite of mine for breakfast, and I like cheese on and in things.  The important thing here is finding a good source of calcium.  When you have any digestive issues, your body is not getting the nutrients it needs to be healthy, and calcium is so important for many things - not just your bones and teeth!  Make sure you are getting enough!

Other beverages that are safe:  plain coffee and tea, and fruit and/or vegie juice.  If you're a soda drinker, read the label or find nutritional info on the company's website.  Like those fancy coffee drinks?  Do the same.  Gluten can hide in many places in many forms!

This is where things start to get a bit more complicated.  For protein, think lean meats (beef, pork, chicken).  Avoid processed meats, like lunch meats, etc., because many brands have fillers.  Also, ham and turkey may have gluten in flavoring agents that can be injected.  If you're not absolutely sure, don't buy it.  We buy our meat from a local CSA farm and know for a fact that any sausages, hams, and turkeys are all safe for us.  As for breaded meats, Applegate Farms (brand) makes wicked good chicken nuggets and tenders - our family thinks they taste better than "the real thing"!  They also make really good lunch meat for sandwiches.  The bottom line here:  know what's in your food!  Read labels diligently, follow up on company websites, and don't be afraid to call and ask.

And now for the million dollar question:  what grains are safe?  Amaranth, millet, rice, buckwheat, teff, quinoa, and corn.  Not sure where to begin?  Start with rice.  The first week after Hubby's diagnosis, we ate chicken, broccoli, and rice for dinner.  And we probably ate it 4 out of the 7 nights.  Good thing my kids like broccoli!  Millet and quinoa make great side dishes, and kasha (roasted buckwheat) makes a wonderful hot breakfast cereal.  Teff is wonderful in gluten-free whole grain breads, such as Udi's (brand).

Want a sandwich?  Our new favorite bread is Udi's (brand) Millet-Chia bread.  It makes an awesome grilled cheese sandwich, and will hold its own either toasted with some homemade jelly or stacked with some turkey lunch meat.

You'll notice I did not say oatmeal.  Oats tend to be processed in the same facilities as wheat.  This means that they can easily become cross-contaminated with gluten.  There are many gluten free brands of oatmeal available.  I have found, for me at least, that I can no longer eat oatmeal - gluten free or not.  As much as I love a steaming bowl on a cold morning, I've had to switch to atole, which is made from amaranth.

So when you're making your menu plan for the week, start with a plain protein, like a chicken breast.  Add some vegies, and some rice.  Have some fruit and yogurt for dessert.  Maybe you'd prefer some baked pork chops, apple sauce and a salad sprinkled with some quinoa and almonds.  Steak, baked potatoes and green beans or fresh asparagus - another good combo.

It really isn't as hard as you may have believed.  For many of us, this challenge forces us to eat the healthier way we should be eating all the time.  And this is a good thing.

Remember, all the recipes you find here on this site are gluten free, or offer a gluten free option, and I've got some yummy treats coming up tomorrow!