These Sugar Cookies are Gluten-free and made with icing that has no food dye in it! When making gluten-free recipes, make sure beforehand that all your ingredients are gluten-free. Recipe for Gluten-free Sugar Cookies Ingredients 1 1/2 c. White Rice Flour 1 1/2 c. Oatmeal Flour ...

This is the best cranberry bread I’ve ever had!  My family loves it too.  It just happens to be gluten-free. If you’re on a gluten-free diet, please read the labels of your ingredients to make sure they’re all gluten-free. Recipe for Gluten-free Cranberry Bread Ingredients 1 cup White Rice Flour 1 cup Oat Flour...

Linda Nataprawira wrote from Indonesia: Mother’s day = "onde" day December 22nd is Mother’s Day in Indonesia.  In indo-chinese tradition, we always make "onde" on that day too. They’re made of glutinous flour and filled with peanuts & sugar inside. The taste is sweet. Onde is also called onde-onde.  Sometimes it’s served in...

Gingerbread Houses are made at Christmastime in Germany, the US and other countries around the world. Gingerbread Houses are intricately linked to the Grimm fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel.  In the story, two children, Hansel and Gretel get lost in the woods.  They come upon a house made of gingerbread covered in frosting and candy. ...

Maryann Serra was kind enough to contribute her recipe for Anise Cookies… Anise cookies are a popular tradition for Italians and other families around the world, especially during the holidays. This light fluffy cookie tastes much like licorice cake, so people who like the flavor licorice especially enjoy them. Making Italian anise cookies is fun and...

  French "fruits déguisés" (fancy fruit) is eaten at Christmastime in France.  It’s dried fruit, mainly dates, prunes or figs, stuffed with almond paste or a sweetened crumbled cookie mixture.  The filling is usually made in different pastel colors.  Almond paste is actually sold in different colors in France.  The normal colors you find at...

The other day I was making Juice Gumdrops for the kids in my family, and I thought, "What if I made gumdrops with liquor for the adults?"  That’s what led me to making this Anisette version of gumdrops.  All of the adults I’ve given it to so far have given it the thumbs up! ...

Gumdrop candy is associated with Christmas in many countries.  Gumdrops are used to decorate gingerbread houses.They’re also part of The Nutcracker, a popular ballet that’s performed at Christmastime.  In the ballet, sugarplum fairies and gumdrops dance.  Visions of dancing candy got me to thinking of making gumdrops for Christmas this year. Most of the gumdrop candy...

It’s so nice to give homemade gifts! This year I decided to make homemade vanilla extract to give to my friends and family.  It’s easy!  Here’s the recipe… Recipe for Homemade Vanilla Ingredients: 2 to 2 1/2 Vanilla Beans (I used organic vanilla beans) 1/2 cup Vodka (or Brandy) 1. Slice the vanilla bean pods down the side leaving about...

My daughter’s class had a multicultural celebration recently where each kid interviewed a relative about a recipe that’s been handed down in the family.  My daughter interviewed my Mom about her manicotti recipe. Here’s part of what she learned: "Manicotti is from Italy, and it’s been in my family since 1810.  It was passed down from...

There are different theories about where the American Red Velvet Cake is originally from, ranging from the South (perhaps the time of the Civil War?) to a creation of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. No one seems to really know for sure!  What’s certain is that this cake feels special, and in fact,...

Yuzu is a citrus fruit they enjoy in Japan especially near the Winter Solstice and the New Year.  I’ve never seen the actual fruit here to try it.  But today I found a Yuzu drink you can buy at the American chain store Trader Joe’s.  You simply empty a packet into a cup, add hot...

Ayako wrote from Japan about special New Year’s traditions and the food they eat… "I visited my mothers home yesterday and ate osechi ryouri which is a new years special meal and went to a shrine too." "This is my yuzu dish I made this new year… Yuzu is a spcial citrus fruit...

Ayako Egawa wrote from Japan about Kamaboko, a sort of gelled fish cake that’s eaten there.  The one pictured below was made for the New Year.  The character on these Kamaboko is called Kizuna (meaning bond) which is the symbol for 2011.  (A character is chosen annually in Japan that best symbolizes the year that...

Kourabiedes are Greek shortbread cookies that are eaten for Christmas, Easter and Christenings.  Sometimes at Christmastime, they’re made with a clove in the middle to represent the spices the three magi brought to Jesus as a gift.        There are many variations of these cookies – so feel free to tinker with the recipe.  Here’s how...

Cuccìa is a dish made in some regions for Santa Lucia in Italy, especially in Sicily.  The word itself is Sicilian.  Cuccìa is typically made with wheat berries, ricotta and sugar. On Santa Lucia people eat a variety of dishes made with wheat berries.  It’s said that there was a famine in Sicily several centuries...

I’ve been corresponding with Gian Carlo Macchi who’s from Italy about foods eaten for Christmas and Santa Lucia in Italy and how they differ from food eaten by Italian Americans the US (I’m an Italian American).  We’ve also been discussing gift giving in both countries and greetings for the season.  These comparisons are interesting!  ...

My nephew Nick creates his own recipes. How cool is that!  Here you’ll find his Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake recipe with a note he wrote about cooking from scratch… Dear Mama Lisa, I made this peanut butter chocolate cake for my mom, on her birthday. Her two favorite ingredients are peanut butter and chocolate. Her birthday is...

One of the Moms in my daughter’s class made this hand out of ice to put in the Halloween punch.  It’s simple! All you do is put water in a clean disposable glove and seal it with a rubber band.  Then let it freeze.  When it’s done you can put it in water to make it...