My daughter has given up gluten for Lent but doesn't want to give up her favorite breakfast food--muffins. I bought kinnikinnick gluten-free chocolate chip muffins, located in the freezer section of my local grocery. (There's a story behind the name, but quite honestly, you just have to look it up on their Web site. They were a huge hit, but tastiness doesn't always come cheap when it's gluten-free. I won't print the price for fear my husband will read this blog.

We later tried Gluten-free pantry's muffin and scone mix, and they tasted great. We even served them to six of her friends who had spent the night, and none were the wiser. I spiced mine up with a little (okay, a lot of) cinnamon. They were great with butter, and the sky's the little as far as add ins. My daughter voted the first brand as the winner, but I think that had more to do with the chocolate chips than the muffins themselves.

Food for life--gluten-free tortillas

One of my favorite gluten-free products is Food For Life's brown rice tortillas. The discovery of this product opened up a whole new food world for me. I can have quesadillas again!

The sky's the limit as to what you fill it with, but I'm content with just plain cheddar or Colby Jack cheese. I fry mine in a little olive oil just until the cheese melts. The tortillas brown nice and crisp the way I like them. The flavor is excellent. In fact, my children prefer these to regular flour tortillas.

I found them in the freezer section of my local Kroger. You can check their Web site at www.foodforlife.com to locate a store or learn about their other products, which include gluten-free cereals, breads and baked goods.

Warm gluten-free crab dip

I tried this recipe at our New Year's Eve get-together, and it was a big hit since five out of 13 people in attendance avoid gluten. The others were none the wiser.

My family liked it so much that I ended up making it again two days later just for us.

This recipe is adapted from the Dec./Jan. 2009 issue of Family Fun magazine. Be sure to check the brands of the mayo, mustard and seasoning to make sure they are gluten-free.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
4 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup milk
8 oz. crabmeat, fresh or canned (drained). I used canned.
1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 slices of crispy bacon (if desired)

Serve with celery sticks, bell pepper sticks, Tostitos chips or gluten-free crackers

Step 1: Lightly oil or butter a small shallow casserole (about 1 1/2 quarts). Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Step 2: Melt the butter in a medium-size skillet. Add the onion and garlic and saute them over low heat for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the Old Bay and cook another 30 seconds, continuing to stir. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Step 3: Using an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Add the lemon juice, mustard, and milk and blend the mixture again until it's smooth. With a spoon, stir in the crabmeat, half the cheese, and the sauteed onion and garlic.

Step 4: Transfer the dip to the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spoon. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the top. Place in the oven and bake until the top of the dip is bubbly, about 20-25 minutes. Top with bacon, if desired. Serve warm. Serves 12 as an appetizer. We used a Fondue pot to keep ours bubbly.