Cowboy Caviar

Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans organic black beans, rinsed and
drained

3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T minced red or yellow onion

2 tsp. salt

9 T extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing
them)

6 T fresh lime juice

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

2 avocados, chopped

Directions

Combine all ingredients except for avocados in a large bowl
and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight.

Just before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being
careful not to mash avocados.

Serve at room temperature.

Strawberry/Mango Salsa

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients

2 cups strawberries, finely diced

2 cups mangos, finely diced

½ cup red or yellow onion, finely chopped

2 basil leaves, finely chopped

1 T fresh lemon or lime juice; zest before juicing

¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients.

Cover. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Reference: Linderman, K. (2013, June-July), Summer Dining: Garden-Fresh &
Family Friendly, Autism File, 50-53.

After a period of time to let the Westburgs settle into a routine, we are back to see how things are going with their family life and Robert’s progress with his learning patterns.

Robert is doing fine. He loves the attention that he receives from his staff, so he is eager to learn. He receives positive verbal reinforcement and loves using his picture schedules. He is beginning to use task strips to help him become more independent in his daily living skills, such as brushing his teeth. Gradually, he will be introduced to other tasks as his confidence and abilities grow.

At school, his 2:1 has decreased to 1:1 because Robert is able to remain seated and ask for a break by using a break card, rather than bolting from his seat. He does bolt two to three times a week, but it is more of an attention seeking behavior, rather than a desire to escape an unwanted task, such as reading or some other subject that does not interest him.

Max, the friendly golden retriever, graduated from obedience school, so he is calmer and less likely to jump all over everyone. He does not break into the room when Robert is working, although he does jump on Robert and eagerly lick him when he is finished with his lessons at home. Robert looks forward to this, as he is also calmer and eager for more attention when he finishes his work.

Of course, his mom always wants to know how everything went. She remains very supportive, but Mr. Westburg has, unfortunately, reverted to working longer hours and missing family dinners most of the time. Date nights have gone by the wayside for the most part, although they do get out once in a while.

The housekeeper prepares dinner for Robert and his twin, Jeannette, brother Matthew and Mrs. Westburg. Then she leaves for the evening. Mrs. Westburg either has her headphones on so she can answer calls about her business or is focused on Robert. The other two children are largely ignored. She does try to engage them by asking how their day at school went, but the conversation usually is focused on Robert and his accomplishments.

Matthew is an excellent athlete and has a football tournament coming up. He asks his mother if she will be attending. She asks him when it is. He answers that it will be Friday evening at 6:00 pm. Since it is Wednesday already, she admonishes him for waiting so long to tell her about it, because she and Mr. Westburg are finally going out to dinner that night.

Matthew reminds his mother that he has mentioned this several times over the past two weeks and that, since his father will be home for once, maybe they both can attend the game. She doesn’t promise, but says that she will speak with his father.

Matthew knows that this means “no” and leaves the table in a huff. Jeannette feels sorry for her brother and leaves as well. Mrs. Westburg hardly notices because she is again on the phone with a client. When she finishes, she focuses on Robert and praises him for sitting up at the dinner table and eating his food like a big boy.

Easy Mint Patties

Ingredients

1/4 c light corn syrup
1 t GF peppermint extract
1/4 c butter, softened
1 to 2 drops desired vegetable food
4 3/4 c sifted powdered sugar (about 1 pound)
coloring

Directions

Combine light corn syrup, softened butter and Peppermint extract. Add sugar, about 1 cup at a time, stirring until well combined. Stir desired food coloring into mixture. Shape candy mixture into 1-inch balls. Place the balls 2-inches apart on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Gently flatten each ball with the tines of a fork. Let candy stand at room temperature about 3 hours or until dry. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator. Makes about 56 pieces.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup GF brown sugar
4 pineapple slices
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
juice and grated zest from 1/2 lemon
4 egg whites
3/4 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon GF baking powder

Directions

Melt the margarine and brown sugar in a 9-inch square-baking pan. Arrange the pineapple slices over the melted sugar. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks until light. Gradually add the granulated sugar, lemon juice and grated rind; continue beating until creamy. In a clean bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
Combine the potato starch and baking powder; fold into the batter. Carefully pour the batter over the fruit. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving platter and let cool.

Sinful Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

1 cup GF baking mix
1 stick margarine
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 12 ounce package whipped topping
1 3 ounce package GF chocolate pudding
3 cups milk, divided
grated chocolate
1 3 ounce package vanilla pudding (or substitute pistachio pudding)

Directions

To make crust, mix flour, margarine and pecans; press into a 9×13-inch pan. Bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees. Let cool. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and one cup of the whipped topping. Layer over cooled crust. Mix chocolate pudding with 1 1/2 cups milk, according to the directions on the package. Pour over cream cheese layer. Let stand 20 minutes in refrigerator until set. Mix vanilla (or pistachio) pudding with remaining 1 1/2 cup milk. Pour over the chocolate layer. Let stand 20 minutes in refrigerator. Top with remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Reference: www.gfcf.com

Spring “Fruitcake”

This is a delicious, moist cake flavored with fruity gelatin. Tasty, and easy to bake!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Spray 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with gfcf cooking spray.

Combine in a large mixing bowl:

6 tablespoons gfcf margarine

2 eggs

2/3 cup gfcf milk substitute mixed with 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 cup white rice flour mixed with 1teaspoon xanthan gum

1/3 cup potato starch

2 tablespoons tapioca flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon gfcf baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

One 4 serving size package of gfcf flavored gelatin (Jell-O is fine). Any flavor!

Mix with a mixer just until blended.

Pour into prepared pan, smoothing the top if necessary.

Bake 30-40 minutes until top is light brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle

comes out clean.

Although you can add frosting, none is needed! Serve plain,

with a scoop of gfcf ice cream, or dusted with gfcf powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Shortcake

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Spray an 8 or 9 inch round pan with gfcf cooking spray.

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine:

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

2 teaspoons gfcf baking powder

Cut in 1/2 cup gfcf margarine until mixture forms large crumbs.

Add:

1 beaten egg

2/3 cup gfcf milk substitute

Stir just until moistened.

Spread into prepared pan. Bake 15-20 minutes until light brown,

and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool slightly, then cut into wedges. Split each wedge in half lengthwise,

then spread with chopped fresh strawberries.

(Sliced strawberries can also be used, although chopping them produces

a nice “sauce” that covers the shortcake well.

Frozen strawberries may also be used.)

For an extra treat, try adding a scoop of gfcf ice cream or yogurt!

Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine:
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon gfcf baking powder (right now Calumet and Rumford are acceptable).
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in until coarse crumbs form:
1/2 cup gfcf margarine

(we use Fleishmann’s Unsalted or Willow Run Soy Margarine)

Add: 2/3 cup gfcf milk substitute (soy or rice milk)

Mix just until dough sticks together in a ball.

If dough seems dry, add 1-2 tablespoons “milk.”

On a surface lightly dusted with brown or white rice flour

(it may help to moisten the surface lightly with a damp cloth or

gfcf cooking spray such as “Pam” first), knead the dough gently 10-12 times.

Roll or pat the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick.

Combine in a small mixing bowl or measuring cup:
2 tablespoons gfcf margarine, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

Spread the above cinnamon and sugar “paste” over the entire surface of the rolled dough.

Begin rolling the dough in a strip along one of the long sides, until you have a long roll.

Cut the roll into 1-inch sections. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, round side down (exposing one side of the cinnamon mixture), leaving about 1 inch between each cinnamon roll.

Bake 10-15 minutes until each roll just begins to turn light brown (or until it no longer looks “shiny”).
If desired, drizzle with a mixture of gfcf powdered sugar and water.
Serve warm.

Reference: The Good Food Cookbook For Gluten-Free and Casein-Free Diets, Laurel A. Hoekman, (2001).

Sweet Dark Chocolate

One square Baker’s unsweetened chocolate
one teaspoon xylitol (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon safflower or coconut oil

Heat in a double boiler, stirring until chocolate and xylitol melt and are smooth. Pour into candy molds and refrigerate until set.

Sweet Nutty Popcorn Treats

12 cups popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons unsalted CF margarine
6 ounces semisweet CF chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1 cup white CF chocolate chips

Lightly grease a large bowl and place the popcorn in it.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water and cook over medium heat to the soft ball stage, 235 to 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Off the heat very carefully, add the butter (it will boil furiously), stir in the chocolate and vanilla.

Very carefully, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture over the corn, stirring to prevent from lumping. Continue stirring until the mixture is cooled and the popcorn is evenly coated. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine and coat. Turn out onto a silpat or a greased foil-lined sheet pan. Let cool, then store in airtight containers.

Chocolate Cake

EVERYONE needs a chocolate cake recipe. Your friends will NEVER KNOW it is GFCF!

1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup CASEIN FREE cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum

Mix these ingredients in a bowl, then add 1/2 cooking oil 1/2 cup rice milk or other milk substitute 1/2 hot water 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla Stir until mixed, grease and flour an 8 x8 inch pan, pour batter into pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Can be doubled to make a sheet cake or two round cake pans or 24 cupcakes. For cupcakes bake for 20 -25 minutes.

Frosting (optional)

1 1/4 GF CF powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Reference: www.tacanow.org

When we last left the Westburgs, the program had gone awry, with everyone arguing and not much of anything being done with the excellent plan that Colleen had developed.

Having had a lot of experience in the field of Autism, Colleen was pretty clear about what was going wrong and jumped in right away to make things right.

First of all, she discovered that Mrs. Westburg felt that her role as a mother had been taken away from her by all of the new rules and the people who were constantly in her home. Since they were not a consistent crew, she felt violated by a loss of privacy. Since she had to be present whenever staff was there, she also felt trapped in that she never could leave the house.

Colleen reached out to Mr. Westburg to see if he could assist with this, as it really wasn’t fair to his family that he was out of the house all the time. He explained that he couldn’t stand the chaos and he would be happy to help if his wife could get her act together. As chauvinistic as this may sound, Colleen used positive approaches to help him to understand the unbearable stress that his wife was under and that she really needed to be able to lean on him right now. He was quite surprised to hear this, but said he would consider what Colleen said.

The next thing was training. Some staff had to be replaced because they did not agree with the behavior plan. Colleen stated that disagreements should be discussed with her and that, yes, changes would/could be made as Robert changed, but that the behavior plan would be followed consistently as it stood until that time. She would be stopping by at various times to check on this.

Robert would be able to sign for a “break” as needed. That would be up to him and he would be able to play with one of the toys that his mother had purchased for him. Since these were learning toys as well, Robert would be sticking with his curriculum and having fun at the same time.

During school time, Robert would have a mini picture calendar on his desk. As he completed each activity, he would move it to the bottom of his calendar. Both the teacher and his staff would provide him with positive verbal reinforcement for doing well. After school, Mom would take the time to talk with Robert about his day—providing positive feedback about the good parts—and saying that he could try harder the next time about the not so good parts.

Accurate data collection by staff became a must and was checked on by the behaviorist on a weekly basis. This was reviewed with both parents as well. (Yes, Mr. Westburg was spending more time at home.) A neighbor babysat on a weekly basis so they could go out to dinner or a movie. Robert learned to play with his siblings cooperatively, although that did take some time.

Six months later…Robert is at school five mornings a week. Mr. Westburg is home for dinner every night and the couple has date night once a week. The dog is still a handful, but managed to graduate from obedience school. The older children help with Robert as they can and Robert has learned to write his name and say some words.

Progress is steady but slow. Colleen still works with Robert and most of his team remains with him. His plan has changed several times with participation from the entire team. Who knows what is in store for Robert in the years to come?

Sources—Movies about Autism are available at Amazon.com

Temple Grandin

A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism

Autism Is a World

Praying with Lior

Sources above are not used in this article, but are merely recommendations for additional information.

Jacky Martin-Geller, M.S. is an Intensive Support Specialist with KenCrest Consultants. Her role there is to assist with assessing behaviors in the antecedent stage in the hopes of preventing escalation to the more dangerous target behaviors and/or to de-escalate target behaviors without outside intervention.

Jacky has been involved in the field of mental health, specifically Autism Disorders, for over 20 years. She has a certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from Penn State University, having been chosen by her past employer to be an Autism Specialist to assess children and train staff to work with and help children progress in various skills, such as communication, socialization and attention to task.

However, after moving to KenCrest, Jacky learned about Positive Approaches and Gentle Teaching, which she found much more appealing, but able to marry into the ABA program. She presented on the similarities and pros/cons of each at the MAXX conference in 2010 and often finds this helpful in assessing behaviors with consumers at KenCrest.

After the team meeting, Colleen, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, was assigned to the case at Mrs. Westburg’s request. Colleen’s first step was to complete a functional assessment, doing thorough interviews of the family, school personnel and observations of Robert in different situations.

From there, she discussed her findings with Mrs. Westburg, as Mr. Westburg remained out of the picture for the most part. She discussed with her in a gentle manner that the chaos and noise in the home was disruptive to a child with Autism. When Mrs. Westburg protested that the children were at school during the day, Colleen pointed out that the phone rang constantly because of Mrs. Westburg’s home business and the dog barked and ran around continually, often disrupting Robert’s sessions.

Their discussion was done in a professional manner and Mrs. Westburg was able to see what Robert was going through and how the house could become more user friendly to accommodate his needs, while not disrupting the household routine.

The ringer on the telephone was turned off and Mrs. Westburg wore a headset so that she could answer calls on the main floor. Robert’s work session was moved to the basement and turned into a colorful, cheerful workplace which he loved. There was a large picture schedule on the wall, which he eagerly used so that he knew what he was going to do all day. There was a gate to keep the dog out, but the door was open so that he did not feel alienated from his mother upstairs.

The dog was sent to obedience school so that his behavior could be a bit more under control. At home, since he did not hear the phone ring, his barking lessened significantly so that Robert could concentrate better.

The nanny was asked not to vacuum or perform noisy tasks while Robert was working, which also helped.

After all of these agreements were made, Colleen was able to put a plan into place and hire therapeutic support staff into place, both at school and at home.

While the interventions looked good on paper, it was difficult for the staff to put them into place. At school Robert continued to have a difficult time remaining in his seat. Staff taught him the sign for “break,” so that he could be taken out of the room for a walk. Instead Robert would just bolt from the room. The same thing happened at home. Since different staff were on duty at different times, consistency was difficult. Mrs. Westbury complained if she heard a staff person speaking with Robert in a firm voice, which was necessary at times to keep him on task.

Staff came and went because they did not feel supported and Mrs. Westburg talked about everyone (including Colleen) behind their backs. Robert was not progressing and everyone was discouraged.

Everyone agreed that changes had to be made, but no one wanted to admit his or her part in the fiasco. Colleen had the key—consistency and more training. Let’s see how she goes about this….

Sources—All of these items can be purchased on Amazon.com

Smethport Photo Language Cards

Melisa & Doug Deluxe Magnetic Calendar

Melissa & Doug Alphabet Train Floor Puzzle

Leap Frog Text and Learn

www.helpguide.org/mental/autism_spectrum.htm

Autism Spectrum Disorders

A Parent’s Guide to Symptoms and Diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum

www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism

What is Autism?

www.autismfile.com

Symptoms of Autism/autismfile.com

Sources above are not used in this article, but are merely recommendations for additional information.

Jacky Martin-Geller, M.S. is an Intensive Support Specialist with KenCrest Consultants. Her role there is to assist with assessing behaviors in the antecedent stage in the hopes of preventing escalation to the more dangerous target behaviors and/or to de-escalate target behaviors without outside intervention.

Jacky has been involved in the field of mental health, specifically Autism Disorders, for over 20 years. She has a certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from Penn State University, having been chosen by her past employer to be an Autism Specialist to assess children and train staff to work with and help children progress in various skills, such as communication, socialization and attention to task.

However, after moving to KenCrest, Jacky learned about Positive Approaches and Gentle Teaching, which she found much more appealing, but able to marry into the ABA program. She presented on the similarities and pros/cons of each at the MAXX conference in 2010 and often finds this helpful in assessing behaviors with consumers at KenCrest.

Fruit Scones

Makes 8 servings

2 C GF flour mix

(Whisk together 6 cups brown rice flour; 2 cups potato starch; and 1  cup tapioca starch)

¾ C sugar

2 ½ tsp. GF baking powder (baking soda with tarter)

¾ tsp. xantham gum

½ tsp. salt

½ C (1 stick) cold GFCF butter

1 C diced dried apricots, raisins, or cherries

3 large eggs

1/3 C cold almond, coconut, or rice milk

(add small amounts if mixture seems dry and flaky)

1 ¼ tsp. GF vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a divided scone pan, or grease (or line with parchment) a baking sheet.
2. Whisk together the flour or flour blend, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and nutmeg.
3. Work in the cold butter till the mixture is crumbly.
4. Stir in the dried fruit.
5. Whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla till frothy.
6. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring till well blended. The dough should be cohesive and very sticky.
7. Drop dough by the 1/3-cupful into the scone pan or onto the baking sheet. Let the scones rest for 15 minutes. With a brush, give the tops a milk wash.
8. Sprinkle the scones with sparkling sugar or cinnamon sugar, if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes, till golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes or so before serving. Best enjoyed warm, with butter and jam.

Pecan Pie

Makes 6 servings

1 C light Karo syrup

3 whole eggs plus 1 yolk, beaten

½ C light brown sugar

½ C white sugar

2 T CF butter alternative

1 tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. almond extract

1 ½ C pecans

1  9-inch unbaked GF pie crust

TIP: partially pre-bake crust

1. Combine all ingredients except for the pecans. Mix well. SLOWLY pour filling into pre-baked crust.
2. Arrange the pecans on the bottom of the partially baked piecrust, pour the filling over them. The pecans will float to the top.
3. In a preheated 350 degree oven, bake for 55-60 minutes or until the filling has set. Allow pie to cool on a rack for at least two hours before serving.

Reference: Autism File, Issue 47, Dec-Jan 2013.

Waldorf Salad

Makes 12 servings

5 or 6 apples, unpeeled, cut from the core, and chopped into bite size pieces                                                     (about 3 cups)

1 ½ T lemon juice

¾ cup raisins

1 ½  cup chopped celery

1 cup walnuts OR pecans (optional)

¾ cup GF/CF mayonnaise

1 T sugar

1. Prepare the apples. Don’t bother peeling them, but give them a really good scrubbing to remove toxins. Chop into bite sized pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice over pieces.
2. Plump the raisins by measuring them into a bowl and covering with warm water. Allow them to sit for a few minutes, drain off the water and squeeze if necessary to get dry, and then add to apples.
3. Wash and scrub 2 stalks of celery and cut them in half length-wise. Chop finely and add to the bowl. (If you’re using walnuts or pecans add them too.)
4. Add mayonnaise and sugar to the mixture. Stir with a fork or spoon until everything is evenly coated with the creamy dressing. You can serve the salad right away or refrigerate until the next day.

Corn Bread

¾ cup rice flour

1 ¼ cups corn meal

1 T GF Baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

½ cup cooking oil

2/3 cup sugar

¾ cup water

1. Combine all ingredients, mix until lump-free.
2. Grease a 14×4 baking pan.
3. Fill pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
4. Remove from pan.

Old-Fashoned Sugar Cookies

Makes 48 cookies

2 cups fine brown rice flour

2/3 cup arrowroot starch or cornstarch

¼ cup tapioca starch

1 ¾ cups confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp guar gum

1 tsp GF baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup COLD GF/CF cubed butter (2 sticks)

1 large egg

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking pads.
3. Sift ALL dry ingredients and combine in a mixing bowl.
4. Place the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Place the cover on the processor and pulse about 3 times.
5. Add the cubed, cold butter and pulse about 10 times. The mixture will be crumbly.
6. Add the egg; pulse about 5 times. The mixture will look crumbly but should form a ball when squeezed together.
7. If the mixture is too dry to form a ball, add 1 tbsp GF/CF milk and pulse about 5 times.
8. Scrape the dough onto a large sheet of waxed paper and squeeze the dough into a ball.
9. Use hands to shape the ball into a long cylinder, about 2 inches in diameter.
10. Wrap the sheet of waxed paper around the cookie dough “log” and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or freeze the dough to use later.
11. When you are ready to bake the cookies, remove from refrigerator or freezer. Slice in ¼ inch rounds and roll each section into a ball. Place 12 balls on each prepared baking sheet.
12. Dip a glass in fine sugar and press each ball of dough into a flat circle.
13. Optional – Sprinkle with GF colored sugars.
14. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges.

Reference: Autism File, Issue 47, Dec-Jan 2013.

The holidays can bring joy to many while creating additional stress for those suffering from diet and nutritional concerns. For many folks on the spectrum, the holidays create additional stressors. Changes in schedules and routines, unusual customs to follow, and different foods every where you go. This blog is devoted to holiday food recipes that may help families manage the numerous stressors while still enjoying this time of year.

Cranberry Sauce

Makes 10 servings

¾ cup orange juice

¼ cup white sugar

¼ cup honey

3 cups fresh cranberries (frozen can be used if drained really well)

1. Place juice (or water), honey and sugar in a saucepan on medium. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar.
2. Slowly stir in the cranberries and return to a boil. Simmer until cranberries begin to burst (around 10 minutes).
3. Remove from the heat, cool at room temperature, chill in the refrigerator.

Gluten-Free Way to Baste a Turkey

1. Rub olive oil all over the bird, inside and out, completely covering all sides.
2. Slice an orange in circles, use toothpicks to stick the pieces into the turkey. If you have remaining pieces, stuff them inside the bird’s cavity.
3. Insert fresh thyme, rosemary and sage leaves just under the skin on the breast of the turkey and rub the leaves and some salt all over the outside of the bird.
4. Pour 1 can of GF chicken broth over the entire turkey. You may also pour some inside the cavity.

Pumpkin Pie

Makes 8 servings

1 ¼ Cup canned pumpkin (not sweetened canned pumpkin pie mix)

¾ cup sugar

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp amaranth flour

2 lightly beaten large eggs

1 cup evaporated milk (see recipe below)

2 T water

½ tsp vanilla

Heavy whipping cream for garnish (optional, see recipe below)

1 9-inch unbaked GF pie crust

GF/CF Evaporated Milk

2 cans coconut milk

¼ cup honey

¼ cup light brown sugar

Combine ingredients in sauce pan. Warm mixture over medium-low heat until mix begins to bubble. Continue to cook over low heat, mixing continuously until sauce is reduced by half, is slightly golden and is the consistency of light syrup. Cool to room temperature in glass jelly jar until ready to use.

GF/CF Whipping Cream

Makes 4 servings

1 (14oz) can coconut milk

2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Put the can of coconut milk/cream in the fridge for at least 4 hrs. Open the can & remove the coagulated cream from the top of the can.  Save the rest for something else. Put the thick coconut cream into a chilled metal bowl. With a chilled electric beater whip until thick & fluffy. Gently beat in the rest of the ingredients. Keep refrigerated.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine all the ingredients for pie filling in a large mixing bowl. Beat until mixture is smooth and blended, about 1 minute.
3. Set the unbaked GF pie crust on a large baking sheet. Pour filling mixture into the pie crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pie comes out clean. Over baking can cause the top of the pie to crack.
5. Garnish with fresh whipped cream, dusted with cinnamon sugar (optional).

Reference: Autism File, Issue 47, Dec-Jan 2013.