rudi's gluten free bakery

About a week ago I received a lovely package from the UPS man. When I opened the box this is what I found. An adorably packaged gift from Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery. Perhaps you have heard of Rudi's Bakery before. Well, recently they started baking gluten-free sandwich breads. They have original, multi-grain, and cinnamon raisin. Now, I have tried many gluten-free breads since we began our new lifestyle without wheat, rye, or barley and I must say each of those experiences left us all wanting something better. Something more like "real" bread. So when I received this package with a loaf of gluten-free multi-grain bread I wasn't sure what to expect. I had visited Rudi's site and blog. I had read the ingredients and the customer reviews. They were glowing reviews, but still I was a little unsure. I mean, how good can a loaf of gluten-free bread really be? Well, hopefully you can tell by the above picture that it was good. The loaf was almost entirely consumed by eager and happy gluten free sandwich eaters before I could get a picture of the bread. It was good. They really captured the texture of regular bread....light and airy, soft and flavorful. I've made my own gluten-free breads. They're good, soft, and flavorful, but light and airy like regular bread...not so much. Rudi's Gluten-Free Bread is delightful. The whole Clothesline family agrees.

In the cute box, along with the yummy bread, I also received some other goodies...a fridge magnet, sticky notes, several coupons, and a nice little sandwich box perfect for lunch on the go or a play date. So if you need to be gluten-free or just want to reduce the amount of gluten in your diet but you don't want to give up having a good ol' sandwich, then I highly recommend trying Rudi's Gluten -Free Bread.

catching up in ten

It's been a little busy at the Clothesline lately. I thought I'd take a few minutes and ten pictures to share the last couple of weeks with you.

1. Birthday time! Even before breakfast the girls wanted Dad to open his gifts.

2. We enjoyed a delicious gluten free chocolate cake (mix by 'Cause You're Special) with the best ever chocolate cream cheese frosting.

3. We put up and decorated our Christmas tree. The girls enjoyed putting the ornaments on the tree...so far, the cat has not knocked anything off the tree.

4. Ahhhh, the Thanksgiving turkey...all 24 delicious, juicy pounds. Hooray for the invention of the cooking bags! They work great every single time.

5. Perfecting the pas de chat in the last class of the semester.

6. Practicing an arabesque during free dance time.

7. Another pumpkin roll in time for a visit from my mom. It's not a proper holiday season without a slice or two of this dessert. Yes, it's gluten free...and delicious!

8. Busy crocheting by the tree making a gift for a very special boy.

9. Our first snow of the season. A light snow, maybe an inch or so...but on the day of the Christmas parade. It was frigid but wonderful.

10. Because of the snow I was able to finish up that birthday gift...a crocheted Pikachu. Free, wonderfully written pattern found here.

So, now we're all caught up. Time to finish the laundry, get some homeschooling done, measure-cut-sew Christmas gifts, and enjoy this time in my warm house with my healthy family while dinner simmers in the crock pot. Happy Tuesday. xoANG

last week...

before the deer came, the girls were playing with the tomatoes that were ripe. So, I guess playing with your food is okay sometimes.

I must say that this small bounty made quite the delightful gluten free bruschetta chicken dinner. I used this recipe but baked it in the oven instead of grilling. Also, during the non-tomato-growing months I use canned, diced tomatoes and it works just fine. What are you making from your garden this summer? Happy Tuesday! xo ANG

you don't scare me

...okay, you used to a little...but not anymore!

I have done it! I made bread. Gluten free bread. Delicious, gluten free bread. Made from scratch, delicious, gluten free bread. Me? Yes, me. This may not seem like a huge deal to some of you but for me, the one famous for making disgusting regular bread and biscuits fit to be used by the NHL, yeah, this is huge. First, I found this recipe and I just knew that it would be great. But the ingredients, oh, the long list of intimidating ingredients, they scared me. Bad. I was determined though to find a great recipe and make the best gluten free bread I could possibly make for my family. I've tried mixes for the bread machine and purchased bread already made...some not great, some not good, some down right gross.

Slowly, I started to gather the ingredients. After I had them all I left them on the counter for a few days while I worked up the nerve to actually try it. I followed every detail of the recipe. The room temperature ingredients, the proofing of the yeast, the mixing of the many different flours. The only thing I changed was using my bread machine for the actual mixing of the dry and liquid ingredients.

Then into a nice warm oven it went to rise for nearly an hour. What a beautiful sight. When I saw the dough actually rising I was quite confident that it would bake nicely. The texture and taste were the mysteries now.

Here it is fresh from the oven. Texture...perfect. Taste...wonderful. It tastes like regular bread. There was no grainy, bitter aftertaste. There was no bizarre smell or flavor. It's just great bread. Perfect for a sandwich, crispy toast, or better yet...buttery, syrupy french toast. So, I'll chalk this up to a very good baking day at the Clothesline. Plus, making more great, gluten free foods for my family was one of my goals for the year. I love accomplishing things, don't you? What have you accomplished lately? Do tell. Happy Sunday. xo ANG

macro monday::gluten free edition

(f-stop 7.1~exposure time 1/8 second~iso1600)

This here is the best cookie I have ever made. Ever. Really. It was not originally a gluten free recipe, but once we (and by we, I mean Tim) saw the picture of the cookies we knew they had to be baked...and soon. Last week my mom gave me a stack of magazines to enjoy and on one of the back covers was an ad for Ghirardelli chocolate with a recipe for Ghirardelli's Ultimate Double Chocolate Cookies. So, thanks Mama. Hopefully there will be some left when you visit next time. Hmm, I doubt it, so I'll just have to make more. It was such an easy recipe that the girls did most of the work, even the egg cracking! I only changed two things: one-I replaced the 1/3 cup all-purpose flour with 1/3 cup of Pamela's Gluten Free Baking and Pancake Mix, and two: I didn't even try to make tubes of dough by gingerly placing the dough on plastic wrap to chill in the fridge. Yeah, no, not going to do that. Instead I just stuck the bowl of dough in the fridge and chilled it that way for an hour, then used a small ice cream scooper to make consistently sized cookies. That's it. It was so easy and man, oh man, are they good! Don't ask about the calories or fat because I don't know and I'd like to keep it that way. It's all in moderation, my dear. I've been good so far because a little chocolate goes a long way.

Happy Monday! xo ANG

practice makes pie

I must admit that although I have baked many a turkey for Thanksgiving I have never in my life made a pumpkin pie. I know it's not difficult. This is America after all and all I have to do is go buy a ready made crust and a can of pie mush. Okay, I could make a crust and buy the can of mush but my previous experiences with homemade pie crust were not so great. My solution...just avoid making pie. I do love me some pumpkin pie so I would eat it if someone else made it...I just wasn't making it. I make other delicious treats for the holiday season, so believe me, we are not deprived of yummy treats. And now, in our state of gluten free living I have the perfect out when it comes to making pie....or so I thought. Recently, two things have happened. First, we went for our annual fall fun day at the pumpkin patch with our friends. The girls got to choose cute little pumpkins and paint them then they were off to play and climb and jump. Oh, it was a fun day...see?

But then, once again we had two little pumpkins whose paint came right off when it rained. Sure we could have painted them again, but why? They were just going to sit there and rot. Hmmm, I bet those would make a great, fresh, pumpkin pie. Oh, but the crust is an issue. But wait!...and here's the second thing...I found a gluten free pie crust mix made by Gluten Free Pantry. I've been pleased with many of their products so maybe I should give their crust a try. It is called "perfect" pie crust mix...so it must be good, right? Well, I took those little pumpkins (after building up the excitement of having pumpkin pie long before Thanksgiving) and baked them in the oven just like an acorn squash. I scooped it all out and gave it a whirl with my mixer to make it smooth and I tell you...perfect.

And yes, I bought the crust mix. It was a quick and easy mix. It smelled like regular crust. It felt like regular crust. It even rolled like regular crust. Our hopes were high for a delicious tasting crust and a delicious tasting freshly made pumpkin pie. The aroma of freshly baked pumpkin pie filled the house. It came out beautiful. Just look at it. Hungry?

Thankfully I made it during the day so by the time we were ready for dessert after dinner the pie was ready to be devoured. The girls could hardly contain their excitement. Okay, I was excited, too. How could I not be? It was all working out just perfectly...like I had made a billion pumpkin pies before. Then I sliced it and ....

we couldn't eat it fast enough! It turned out so good. The crust was a little thick for some...I like it that way though...but it was flaky and buttery and oh so yummy. My first pumpkin pie. Delicious!

Oh, and just the other day in all of the bleakness as the trees shed their leaves, my azalea wanted to show off a little more before it got too cold. The brightness of the one purple bloom amongst the dark, dried up leaves was beautiful. Too beautiful to leave outside. The bloom was quickly rescued and brought into the house for a drink of water.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner so remember to give thanks. Today as the cold rain comes down and extra layers are worn I am thankful for my little house in the city. It's warm and cozy and we are all in good health. Happy Thursday. xo ANG

Don't forget to go here to enter my giveaway.

a smorgasbord

smor⋅gas⋅bord 
-an extensive array or variety

*The budding artist (miss O) in the house has developed a whole new storyline. There are many characters, all of which are named for their color. My favorite part of the pictures that come from her very detailed and eventful stories are the expressions on the character's faces.
*Because of Tim's gluten-free diet all normal bread products are eliminated from the menu. So when I make a pot of soup or fix spaghetti for dinner there is no garlic bread or bread sticks to eat with the meal. I suppose if I wanted to torment him by way of his senses I could whip up some delicious garlic cheese bread like we used to have with such meals. I'm not that mean and those are some serious carbs and fat grams that I can happily live without. However, there are a few products out there that are gluten free that look and smell delicious and sometimes they even taste delicious! Anyway, when he stopped in the grocery store the other day he saw a box of yummy looking bread sticks that would no doubt be a delightful addition to our upcoming spaghetti meal. Here take a look at the box. Yummy, right?

Nice big bread sticks beside that delicious bowl of soup. Mmmmm. Well, when he opened the box this is what he found.

A plethora of hard, crunchy, bread stick-shaped crackers that are a mere 1 1/2 inches in length. What type of bowl were they using in that picture....a ramekin? Sheesh!
*Okay, I know good and well that I am new to crocheting. I have difficulty with the proper gauge. I even struggle with counting stitches. But this is just ridiculous! It was all good through round 10 or so but then the hat just seemed to get bigger and bigger. Sure, if I had a head the size of Andre the Giant it would be perfect! Cute even...but, nooooooooooooooo, I have a freakishly small, pea-sized head that requires adjustments in patterns. So, with the help of miss O I pulled it out all the way back to round 10 so I could do a few decreases here and there to make it small enough for my head. She couldn't believe that I was undoing all of that work, but that didn't stop her from getting covered in yarn as she ripped at it with reckless abandon! I, of course, was rewinding the yarn into a ball so I could try it again with adjustments that I am hoping will actually work. In my mind it works out okay, but we'll see. If it's a disaster the second time then I will call for back-up.
*Remember a few weeks ago when we had unseasonably warm weather? Well, unfortunately we're back to seasonably cold weather. Frigid nights, cold, windy days...alright, already, I'm ready for spring. Evidently, so are my tulips

and miss O's Dutch irises.

Gorgeous, right? I love that dark purple with the golden yellow accent. Such beauty when everything else around is still brown and wintry.
*I know I'm not alone when I say this next thing so don't roll your eyes and think that I'm crazy. The girls opened up the new play-doh the other day and we played and played. I just love that smell...fresh play-doh. One good whiff is all I need but I usually end up with some under my fingernails and some on the bottoms of my socks (because a certain little person always drops tiny bits on the floor), and if I'm having a particularly lovely day I may even end up with some on the seat of my pants. Oh sure, go ahead and laugh, but if you have kids, you know it's happened to you, too!

Well, that's all I have for now. A crocheted hat update is coming soon.

calories, coconut, and cookies....oh my!

Remember those cookies I raved about? Well, it has been requested that I share the recipe. I am more than happy to share the coconut-y goodness with you but I cannot be held accountable for your inability to eat only one. They are delicious and will test your willpower, taunt your taste buds, and tempt your inner cookie-loving-sweet-tooth self. I have no calculations of grams of fat or sugar, nor do I have the number of calories they contain...but go! Go bravely into your kitchen and whip up a batch of these beauties.*

Coconut Macaroons

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

2 large egg whites

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

• Preheat oven to 325 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper


• In a large bowl, combine sugar, coconut, egg whites, vanilla, and salt.


• Dampen hands with cold water. Use 1 1/2 Tbs. to form mounds then place on baking sheet. Space them about 1" apart.


• Bake until golden brown, 16 to 17 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool on wire rack.

Martha Stewart's new book, Cookies, is where I found this irresistible, gluten-free recipe.

*I highly recommend making the cookies smaller than instructed...then it's easier to justify eating two instead of one! Also, I couldn't find unsweetened coconut so I used sweetened, shredded coconut and reduced the amount of sugar added to 1/3 cup.

enough with the screaming monkey already!

Yep, I actually said that. It's the first time and almost certainly the last time that I will say such a funny exclamatory sentence. But in the spirit of doing, saying, cooking, building, or sewing something for the the first time let me take a moment to entertain you with a list of firsts so far in this new year...with a little explanation, of course.

First, the title of this post...words that I never knew would fly out of my mouth in such a ridiculous combination, yet they did. Which, by the way, made everyone in the house stop what they were doing and look at me with surprise. The reason...Miss E got a new toy, a little learning laptop, which is fabulous and fun and educational. However the character that she interacts with is a monkey that says and does silly things to keep it interesting. What she quickly learned, after finding the volume control, was that if you continually push the mouse buttons the monkey will "scream" over and over and over and over. You see, I'm not crazy, and I usually have a very high tolerance for noise producing toys, especially educational ones, but coupled with the volume set on ear-drum-bursting loud...I had heard enough. Hence the "enough with the screaming monkey already" statement.

Second, after looking through this fabulous list I have already printed 5 tutorials, made and gifted one, cut out the material for 6 of these, and am eager to schlep up to the attic (on a much warmer day so I don't freeze up there) and retrieve some of my most favorite fabrics that I have horded and used very sparingly since I bought them when we lived on Molokai. I tell you what, living in Hawaii really lends itself to acquiring some fabulous, colorful, local fabrics. Anyway, cutting, planning, sewing, and especially a willingness to use some of my Hawaiian fabrics this early in the year with excited anticipation...definitely firsts for me.

Third, I love to try new recipes. Using a recipe from this book I made the most wonderful coconut macaroons that I have ever had. Mind you, I made them for Tim really because they are gluten free and there aren't many treats that are gluten free, affordable, and delicious. Seriously people, they taste just like coconut cream pie. Just.Like.It. Very difficult to resist, have no idea how many calories and fat are in them, but I made them small so we, I mean he, can enjoy them. Also, I made a stew called Winter Squash and White Bean Stew from this book and it just didn't work out for me. My in-laws ate it and said it was good. Tim ate it and said it was good...he even said he'd eat it again because he like that it was different. I ate it and my taste buds were confused. I love me some butternut squash. I also loved everything else that was in it. The problem? It had cinnamon in it. The smell was throwing me off. I was expecting something quite savory but the cinnamon was weirding me out. It wasn't a bad stew, in fact we ate it all, but the smell confused my senses. I don't like to be confused...especially when I'm eating.
Oh, there are a few other firsts that I have probably forgotten, but I'm pleased with my start to the year and I hope that you are pleased with yours as well.

seriously good and gluten free

Okay, so Tim's birthday was last week. What does everyone enjoy on their birthday? Well, cake, of course. Easier said than done when you eat gluten-free. But a man needs a yummy birthday cake, right? So I made him a chocolate cake. A gluten-free chocolate cake. A surprisingly moist, gluten-free chocolate cake. A super delicious, surprisingly moist, gluten-free chocolate cake. Why all the adjectives? you ask. Well, because those are not common adjectives when describing anything gluten free, especially cake. Want the recipe? Here's a link... Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake. So yummy. The frosting is yummy, too. I added some cranberries to make it pretty...the girls added chocolate chips (because you can never have too much chocolate). Oh, and Janet, if you have a hankerin' for chocolate, you'll love this!

it's good...and good for you

So, have you ever had a hankerin' for something sweet but didn't want something totally unhealthy that's loaded with fat and calories? Yeah, I thought so. Although, don't get me wrong, fat and calories are mighty tasty sometimes. Anyway I made some quick and easy smoothies the other day (and today as well) that really hit the spot.

Triple Berry Yogurt Smoothie
1 1/2 C. low fat vanilla yogurt
1 C. frozen berries (I didn't really measure the berries)
1/4 to 1/2 C. milk

All I did was blend it until it was smooth. I adjusted the amount of milk added in so that it was easier for the girls to drink it with a straw, because heaven knows that purple smoothies will certainly stain the clothes if spilled. The whole batch had maybe 6g of fat. And it made enough for all of us to have some. It made a great snack one day...and one night after dinner it was dessert. It is also tasty (and a little more unhealthy) with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream









added to the mix...Mmmmm! All in all, everyone enjoyed it...and it's gluten free!

thankful thursday

You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God. I extol You. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Psalm 118:28-29
one - cool morning breezes - This whole week has been really hot and humid, but this morning when I went outside it was actually cool and breezy. It felt like the beginning of fall. It was very refreshing.
two - successful sewing - I haven't always had the best results when sewing. Lately though, everything has turned out pretty good. It's so nice when my machine works, my thread doesn't get tangled, and the end product is just as I had hoped it would be.
three - sweet girls and sweet treats - Yesterday the girls and I made a yummy dessert called Chocolate Marshmallow Truffles. They are gluten-free, quick, and easy. It was fun for all of us...and I must say, very yummy!
The recipe is from Gluten Free & Fabulous. You know I have pictures, right?!

Melted gluten free Toll House semi-sweet chocolate chips, large marshmallows, chopped pecans. Okay, the recipe called for almonds, but I like pecans more :o)

Miss O taking charge of the dipping process. She is quite the pro!

Miss E was in charge of the topping station. She was very particular about how many pecan pieces were on the top!

The finished, delicious looking, begging to be eaten right away, product!

pizza, playdate, & poor little birds

Can you smell that? It's pizza...Mmmmm! Pizza is such a normal thing for us to eat, and it's something that we take for granted every time we eat it. I mean, when you want pizza the biggest concern you have is which toppings to get. Am I right? Well, Tim has been on a gluten-free diet for about six months. So, not only has he had to live without buttermilk biscuit ( it pains me just to think about it), but he's also managed to survive without one single slice of pizza. Amazing! Okay, so he has been know to steal the toppings off of any unguarded slice he sees...but it's just not the same. Well, oh happy day...I found gluten-free pizza crust mix and made Tim a pizza. We all had a little slice but the rest was for him. He devoured it. Really it was quite good. It ain't pretty, as you can see by the picture, but for a first try at making pizza with this incredibly sticky dough, it turned out alright. Next time I'll make two pizzas so that the crust will be thinner, and per his request, there will be more cheese! Thank goodness for Bob's Red Mill!

Yesterday we had a play date. Our friends came over and brought their 18 inch dolls so that I could make them some cute dresses...while the girls watched. The goal was to see how interested the girls were in the sewing process. I think they really enjoy it. Although the most fun part was probably choosing just the right fabric :o) I made a couple of dresses for Miss O and Miss E's dolls last week... they got to help with the sewing while I was in charge of the pedal. I wish I had taken pictures, but sewing and taking pictures at the same time that a 5 year old and 3 year old are helping me sew is just a little much. I did, however get pictures from the play date. It helps having another mom around...thanks Heather! Okay, so while I finished up the doll dresses the girls had lots of fun playing dress-up. I didn't have a doll pattern so I just drew a picture of what I wanted the dress to look like...a wrap-around dress...then I measured the dolls and made a pattern on some of our school paper. It seemed to work pretty well. I'd do it again :o)

Okay, now for the sad part. Last night we had a pretty bad storm. Lots of wind and heavy downpours. Although the storm didn't last too long, while it was happening, it was pretty rough. This morning when I got up, and like every other morning, I made my way to every room and opened the blinds. When I got to the kitchen window and opened the blinds I peeked down into the bush to check on our cute little birdies...the nest was gone, or at least most of it...and there were no little birds in sight. I opened the window a crack to see if I could hear them, thinking maybe they were deeper in the bush or on the ground. The only sound I heard was the mama bird squawking angrily from the power line. I watched her for a while and she finally flew down to the ground by the bush. When she finally flew away I opened the window again and raised the screen so I could look down on the ground. Sure enough, one little broken bird. So sad. I didn't see or hear the other two birds, so I am assuming they survived. I never got the perfect shot of the three little birds in the nest, but I did get a few more while I was making dinner yesterday before the storm.



This last picture is my favorite because although this little birdie is sleepy, he is obviously still hungry so he's keeping one eye open so he can be the first to see the mom coming back with the food!