Ten Years have flown by

    
     Ten years ago yesterday I sat in a doctor's office and was told I had Celiac. So New Years Eve the world always helps me celebrate my gluten free anniversary. Pretty cool eh?
     It really doesn't seem like it has been that long. I guess that is because we are forever learning and reading labels. We will never really be "pro" at this! ha Companies are constantly changing things on us. Though I don't feel as lost today as I did that very first day.
     I do feel like things have really changed in those ten years. When I was first diagnosed gluten free was not as mainstream as it is today. There were very few restaurants that had gluten free menu items. I had to mail order or order online my cake mixes and pastas. To see "gluten free" on a label was few and far between. Now we are able to walk into many restaurants with gluten free menus. Regular grocery stores are carrying gluten free items. Big companies are finally "getting it" and labeling their brands as gluten free when they are. I'm thankful for these changes!
     In June of 2004 I started the USASillyYaks yahoo support group. I did this because there were no people near me who were gluten free. I went online to find support and get ideas. That group has grown and has people from all over the world.
     October 20,2011 I decided to give blogging a try. I wanted a permanent place to share my recipes, information, and product reviews. I have really enjoying blogging. It is fun to see what recipes people LOVE and what recipes people could have done without! ha I haven't had as much time lately to post to my blog and I have really been missing it.
     In November of 2011 I was featured in an article in the magazine All You about autoimmune disorders. That was pretty exciting for me. I was excited to get to share my story to a larger group of people. I know that I made an impact because I had people contacting me via facebook and email who felt lost and alone before they read the article. I'm glad I did that article.
     December 2011 I decided to take USASillyYaks to Facebook. I feel like I have been able to share more and help others through expanding to Facebook. We have a great group of followers there.
     I have had some great opportunities to help others in the last 10 years. I hope to continue helping others and staying healthy. I can't wait to see what the next 10 years brings. Thank you for being a part of my journey.

-Jessica
    

Cream Filled Evil Chocolate Cuppeycakes and creating awareness!

     May is National Celiac Disease Awareness Month. The American Celiac Disease Alliance is helping to promote awareness and support changes in labeling laws through their "Cake for One" contest. They are inviting all people with celiac to make cupcakes, one cupcake for each year you have been gluten free. Then they would like you to take a picture of the cuppeycakes and share them on their facebook page. Then ask your friends to go and "like" your picture and of course that counts as a "vote" for your picture. They are being judged on presentation, most years gluten free, most unique decoration, and "kids corner".
     I thought this sounded like a fun way to create awareness, so I decided to participate. I have been gluten free for 9 years and 5 months. SO my photos have 9 cuppeycakes and one cuppeycake that has been partially eaten (to represent the 5 months).
     I made devils food chocolate cuppeycakes using Betty Crocker's Mix. I also used cheated and used Milk Chocolate canned frosting. HOWEVER, I totally amped them up because I made a cream filling and pumped them full of yummy cream filling (Think snack cakes of your gluten filled days). They are to die for. These cupcakes are EVIL!! *drool*

Cream Filled Evil Chocolate Cuppeycakes

1 Box of Betty Crocker Devils Food Gluten Free Cake Mix
*I followed the instructions on the box with the exception of : Cut the amount of butter in half and added a small single serving container of plain applesauce to make the cuppeycakes more moist

1 Tub of Prepared Gluten Free Milk Chocolate Frosting
1 Recipe of the Cream Filling

Bake cupcakes according to the instructions on the box and following my adaptations. Allow the cupcakes to completely cool.

Use a pastry bag to pipe the cream filling down into the cupcake. OR you can cut a small hole in the top of the cupcake, fill with cream filling and replace the piece of cupcake that you cut out. You want to pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling into the cupcake.

Frost the cupcakes and decorate if you wish.

Cream Filling   
Enough to fill and decorate 24 cupcakes

2 tsp very hot water
1/4 tsp salt
1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow cream
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Dissolve the salt in the hot water and allow to cool.

Whip the marshmallow cream, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla until it begins to get fluffy. Add the water and whip.

Yummy creamy filling

A great way to fill a pastry bag is to set it down inside a cup!

I used a plain open tip to pipe the creamy filling into the cuppeycakes.

I filled each cuppeycake until I could tell it was "full". I got a couple of them too full and they cracked. OH well, I bet those will be the best ones! :)

Frost with the milk chocolate frosting.

9 years and 5 months gluten free for me!

I hope you enjoy these yummy cupcakes. Also don't forget to make your cuppeycakes for the contest!! Get out there and help create awareness.

-Jessica

Pink Lemonade Cuppeycakes-Gluten Free (of course)

Pink Lemonade Cuppeycakes

Ingredients:

Cake 

6 tablespoons butter, softened  

 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons thawed pink lemonade concentrate

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 1 teaspoon lemon extract

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

2 cups Gluten Free Flour (I use Annalise Roberts's Mix, it works amazingly)

 1/2 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

 Pink Food Coloring (I recommend gel coloring for the cake, otherwise your bright color fades)

Cooking spray

Frosting:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 teaspoons thawed pink lemonade concentrate

1/4teaspoon vanilla extract

 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

 Pink Food Coloring

Pre-Heat oven to 325 deg.  Place the first 4 ingredients into a large bowl. Mix on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add in salt, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and buttermilk. Mix until combined. Add gluten free flour to mixture 1/2 a cup at a time. Mixing after each addition. Add in gel food coloring to color the cake batter.

Line muffin tin with paper cupcake liners. Spray the inside of each liner with cooking spray. Fill the cupcake liners with cake batter. Bake in a 325 deg. oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes completely on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredientsin a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, and beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat). Add in food coloring until desired tint is reached. Frost the cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

All You Magazine article on Celiac Disease and other autoimmune disorders

So that's me in the article above......I am excited to let you all know that All You Magazine has a pretty darn good article on celiac in their November issue. The issue just hit stands today. I may be a touch biased in the greatness of the article because I am featured *grin*.

   All silliness aside, I'm very proud of the article. It talks a little about my struggles and puts a face with celiac. I have already had several people contact me via facebook saying they have gotten this article and how nice it is to know someone else is out there. That is exactly what I wanted to accomplish by agreeing to do the article. I wanted to create awareness and to help people with Celiac.

    So if you happen to be shopping, pick up the magazine. At least take time to read it in the check-out lane!!

P.S. It's full of coupons so it pretty much pays for itself. If you are a coupon user this is a great magazine to buy!!! And this month it's even better because I'M in it!!

-Jessica