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Pear Shaped Fall Cookies
Pear and pecan mixed together can create a wonderful fall weather treat. Add a hint of pumpkin pie spice and you have the perfect combination for a delicious Fall cookie that will warm hearts and please the kids. A quick note: I bake gluten-free, and often use special flours that are less than common. I have found some flours that can be exchanged cup for cup, which is a rare treat. If you are following my recipe, feel free to use regular flour in the same measurements. Cup for cup flour exchange is so awesome and works out great for recipes that I have had for a long time, dearly love,…
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Grand Cayman Adventure
Whenever I think about Grand Cayman I flash back to the movie ‘The Firm‘. Money Laundering, power, and greed are the things that come to mind. Funny how something from a movie can stay with you for so long. Grand Cayman is a beautiful island about 22 miles long. For such a small place it boasts just under 600 bank-and-trust companies. Pretty impressive for such a tiny hideaway. According to wikipedia, 43 out of the 50 largest banks in the world are found on Grand Cayman. Just one of the reasons that Grand Cayman a very powerful place. As you can imagine, banking and investments are a big part of…
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The Beauty of Vanilla Spice
Ah, vanilla! It’s delectable, delightful, and full of rich aroma that takes me back to my earlier days. I have very fond memories of my mother baking in the kitchen, and to this day certain smells will take me back to my childhood in the blink of an eye. Of all of the delicious aromas and smells from my youth, none is more enticing than vanilla. Yes, I must say that vanilla has stolen my heart. I love vanilla so much that I always, (not just sometimes) ‘add extra‘ vanilla to whatever I am baking. That is just between you and me, by the way. Did you know that vanilla…
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Coconut (Haupia) Pudding
Are you ready for a delicious treat? If you love coconut, then I have an easy, yummy, gluten-free dessert you can make. You can make this pudding into cute squares or triangles and sprinkle some toasted coconut over the top, or put the pudding into small serving bowls, or even in a gluten-free pie crust. No matter how you prepare it, it looks and tastes wonderful. Ingredients: 1 can coconut milk (12-13 ounce) 6 T. sugar (I like 6 tablespoons, but you can get away with 5 if you don’t want as much sugar.) 6 T.cornstarch 3/4 cup water 1/8 t salt (optional) 1 teaspoon coconut extract 1 C. toasted, sweetened…
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Making Your Kitchen A Gluten-Free Haven
Is it really possible to have a kitchen that can function for both gluten and gluten-free food preparation, baking and cooking? Yes, it’s possible; but it will take a lot of effort and determination to keep your kitchen safe from gluten contamination. Have you ever tried to put a cup of flour into a mixing bowl, only to find it suddenly poofing magically through the air? Soon it will cover your counter, and everything else in sight; everything. This flour dust in the air is easy to breath without even realizing what you have done, and to make matters worse it can float into the tiniest cracks and contaminate things…
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A Truly Magical Cruise With Disney
When it comes to Disney, I have to say they go all the way. I have been on a number of cruises, and my cruise with Disney aboard the Disney Magic was as ‘magical’ as it could possibly be. This is not just a cruise for little ones, although I will say that Disney sure knows what it’s doing when it comes to keeping the young entertained. The daily activities that were scheduled for the young and old (well, more like middle aged) alike kept us all hopping. I’m not kidding when I say we could have stayed on board that ship every day, all day, for a month and not run…