Gluten-Free Pear “Fritters”

Hmm… It may be more accurate to refer to them as pancakes. I loved the batter so much that I used a little more than a fritter would require. Additionally, I didn’t technically fry it; I “pan-fried” it with a little bit of oil. But I love the sound of the word “fritter.” Naming conundrum aside, I love the crispiness of the edges and the softness of the filling.

I made this for my little brother when our families got together for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. I wasn’t too happy with the results, because my mom’s electric stove top made it impossible for me to control the temperature; I don’t care that it can boil water in 60 seconds, I like my gas stove top. But my little brother loved it. He thought it was ridiculous I wasn’t happy with it. And he gobbled it up topped with ice cream. Looking at him, he was still my chubby-cheeked little brother who was eagerly satisfying his sweet tooth. But there was a marked difference; he had a little chubby-cheeked toddler of his own sitting on his lap satisfying her own sweet tooth. When I look at her face, I see my little brother in her eyes and her smile. And it makes my heart full.

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Gluten-Free Apple Muffins with Candied Walnuts and Pecans

I came across the below makeshift memorial in front of an Apple store in my neighborhood. Steve Jobs had such an influence on so many people’s lives: the way people look at technology, listen to music, communicate with others, watch movies, etc. I guess that’s why so many feel like they knew him personally. It’s ironic, given that he was such an elusive man. I don’t know of any other CEO or industry leader who’s death rocked the world the way Jobs did. I wonder if Henry Ford had the same impact on his generation. But he had an eponymous brand that reminded people of who he was. Jobs didn’t have the benefit of a namesake brand; and yet, you can’t picture Apple without Jobs.

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Gluten-Free* Breakfast Bars or Snack Bars, Choice is Yours

I baked gluten-free breakfast bars (or snack bars or non-granola “granola bars”, whichever) over the weekend. They were chewy, hearty, sweet, and delicious. We enjoyed them as breakfast bars with coffee, and as snack bars later in the day. Since I don’t bake often, my husband thoroughly enjoyed these rare homemade treats.

I rarely bake, because I don’t like the hassle of having to measure out every ingredient. But baking soothes my soul. And my soul needed soothing last weekend. Hurricane Irene paralyzed NYC over the weekend. EVERYTHING shut down. Luckily, we didn’t get the brunt of the storm. But many of our neighboring states and cities are still reeling from the aftermath. My thoughts are with them.

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