<<Disclaimer:  Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
=========================    Cooking
 
Each person must evaluate all recipes prior to use.  Many inappropriate
products are included in cookbooks.  The inappropriate products may be
the result of a local brand that is GF, the product may be homemade, or
the GF status may have changed.
 
1.  Bette Hagman's new cookbook The Gluten Free Gourmet Cooks Fast and
Healthy: Wheat Free with Less Fuss and Fat is expected to be available in
late Spring or early Summer.  Your next trip to the bookstore would be an
excellent time to order your copy for delivery when it is available.
 
2.  Food Editors do not like to talk about the damaging effects of food on
our health.  That is one of the reasons that GF recipes are not highlighted
in many newspapers.  The exception is when talking about allergic shock
reactions (peanuts or seafood) or in specialty cookbooks.  Recipes that
highlight low-salt or low-fat are in response to interest in health styles.
 
3.  The Wheat Free Kitchen from Jacqueline Mallorca, food writer for the
San Francisco Chronicle, will be available in February.  Advance orders are
$11.50 plus $2 mailing from Farthing Press, PO Box 47117, San Francisco
94147.
 
4.  Easy Bread Making for Special Diets by Nicolette Dumke is published by
Adapt Books, 1877 Polk Ave, Louisville, CO 80027.  It gives numerous
examples of uses for the bread machine for making wheat, milk, egg, gluten,
sugar-free baked items.  Many of the wheat-free items use spelt.  So
celiacs must stay with the 22 recipes marked gluten-free.  It is available
by mail-order for $14.95 plus shipping ($2.50) or from a local bookstore.
 
5.  The Complete Wilton Book of Candy, ISBN 0-912696-18-4,  is an excellent
reference for making simple sweets to fabulous chocolates. The authors
Eugene & Marilyn Sullivan  recipes use mostly GF ingredients.  Some of the
chapters are: fudges, caramels, divinity, jellies, truffles, and chocolates.
 
6.  A Lactose-Free Sour Cream substitute can be made by adding 1 tablespoon
vinegar to 1 cup Mocha Mix and an equal amounts of water.  Use this
substitute in place of sour cream, just slightly reduce the total liquids.
(20)
 
7.  Graham Kerrs Minimax Cookbook has an excellent recipe for a low fat pie
crust using cooked rice.
 
8.  The Gluten-Free Baker Newsletter is a quarterly newsletter dedicated to
GF baking with home kitchen recipes tested by Sandra Leonard.  A one year
subscription is $19.95, Ohio residents add 6%.  For subscriptions, mail
payment to: 361 Cherrywood Dr., Fairborn, OH 45324-4012.
 
9.  Sliced Fig Snacks (Fig Newtons) from Mary Gunn:
 
Filling
 
1-1/2 cups dried figs, finely chopped or ground    1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 cup water                                      1/3 cup sugar
 
Combine above ingredients.  Bring to a boil: reduce heat, simmer uncovered
15 minutes or until thick.  Set aside to cool.
 
Cookie Dough
 
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened   2 cups plus, 3 tbs. rice flour
2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar      3  tsp. baking powder
2 eggs                                  1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla                          2 tsp. xanthan gum, if available
 
Cream butter and brown sugar well with electric mixer at medium speed.  Add
eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.
Add well-combined dry ingredients, mixing well.  Divide dough into thirds.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate two or three hours.
 
Rolls out one-third into a 16x4-inch rectangle.  Place on a baking sheet.
Spread 1/2 to 1/3 cup of fig mixture lengthwise in a 1-inch strip, about
1/2 inch from edge of dough.  Brush water on edges; fold dough over
filling and gently press edges and ends together to seal.  Turn roll over
so sealed edge is on bottom.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Bake at 350 degrees for 17 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool.
Slice crosswise into 1/4 inch slices.  Yield about 4 1/2 dozen.