The recipe I use for Wacky Cake is a little different and makes an 8-inch square cake. It's also a great recipe for a 7-year old to learn how to make a cake. I use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil or melted butter. Omit the cocoa powder and add 1/2 t. Penzey's Cake Spice (or pumpkin pie or apple pie spices, or a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg) for Spice Cake. WACKY CAKE 1-1/2 c. flour (I use soft white whole wheat flour or spelt) 1 t. soda 1/2 t. salt 3 T. cocoa powder (can omit) 1 T. vinegar 2 t. vanilla 5 T. butter, melted (I use coconut oil.) 2/3 c. honey (I use low-glycemic agave nectar) 1/3 c. cold water. Mix ingredients in an 8" square pan in this order: Combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Make 3 holes evenly spaced apart in dry ingredients. In the first hole, put vinegar, in second hole the vanilla, and in the third hole place the melted fat. Mix the honey and water together and pour over all the ingredients in the pan. With a dinner fork, mix well (be sure there are no dry ingredients remaining in the corners. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 30-35 minutes. You can also mix the ingredients in a bowl, then add to the pan and bake. ---------------------------------------------------- SPECIAL CEREAL TREATS (source: Beyond the Bowl - by Debby Maugans) 10 ounces Peppermint Patties, Andes Mints or bite-size 3 Musketeers candies 3 T. butter or margarine (I use coconut oil) 4 c. Rice Krispies 1. Unwrap the candies and place in a large glass bowl. Add the fat. Microwave on HIGH for 2-3 minutes, or until melted, stirring after 1-1/2 minutes and then every 30 seconds. Stir in the cereal. 2. To make shapes or bars, press the mixture into an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Chill until firm. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters or cut into 12 bars. To make holiday egg nests, coat your hands with cooking spray and shape into 16 (3-inch) nests on a platter; let cool. Fill with jelly beans or other small candies. To make ice cream cups, spoon the mixture evenly into 14 (2-1/2") muffin cups coated with cooking spray; coat your hands with cooking spray and press the mixture firmly to the bottom and sides of the cups. Let cool; remove from the cups and fill with ice cream or other goodies. Store these treats in the refrigerator. -------------------------------------------------- Check Duncan Hines cake mixes, I believe some of them are vegan, so they won't contain dairy or eggs - check lable. 1 cake mix, any flavor 10-ounces soda/pop (any brand, NOT diet) Mix together. Pour into greased baking pan and bake according to package directions. For chocolate cake use a dark soda/pop (Coke/Pepsi), for a light cake (white/yellow/spice) use 7-up or Sprite. ---------------------------------------------------- You will find some recipes at the link below. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: Meraby's Allergy Family Foods

My Mom wasn't a great cook either - she didn't enjoy cooking. But she made perfect mashed potatoes and I loved it when she made french toast. When I got older she made pretty good white bean soup and veggie soup. My favorite meal was smoked pork chops, fried potatoes, and great northern beans all with ketchup. Mom's Mom is a great cook. She worked in restaurants and delis. She has lots of best recipes. Spaghetti and meatballs are my favorite. She served Thanksgiving Dinner with dressing in a casserole dish (we fought over the crusty edges), giblet gravy and rolled dumplings. She is known for her potato salad and cheese ball. Every Christmas she makes carrot cake, peanut butter balls and butter cookies rolled in pecans with a candied cherry in the center. For my birthday she always made my favorite German Chocolate cake. Dad's Mom's best recipe was Meatloaf and egg noodles in tomato gravy. She made very good cole slaw. She always had sweet tea and cream pies. I am lucky to have another grandmother to learn from. My husbands Mamaw taught me how to make cornbread in an iron skillet and peach cobbler. She also gave me the confidence to try cooking chuck roast, potatos and carrots. Her best recipe is her biscuits. Mom used to make popcorn for us before we owned a microwave and covered it in butter and salt. That was a best!

If you have recipes that you like that contain beans, try substituting green peas or chick peas for the beans - you could even prepare 2 1/2 batches and add beans to your portion. (How does he feel about lentils?) Get creative with grains! They are so easy. Cous cous, different rices, risotto - you can do a zillion one dish meals with them. You could add prepared meat (e.g.,cooked shrimp) to his portion before serving. Everything that you do with pasta you can do with grains. Lots of meat eaters love wild rice - it is really satisfying. I make the rice and while it is cooking saute thinly sliced celery and mushrooms in a little butter, mix with the cooked rice, pour in baking dish, bake at 350 for 15 minutes (or even longer) - yum! You can experiment on this theme with any grain - the little bit of baking seems to "marry" everything together. Veggie casseroles can be prepared in advance and frozen. I find that freezing in general helps my diet and wallet so that I don't eat unhealthy expensive food out all the time. Making a big batch of artichoke tomato pasta sauce is just as easy as a little one - just freeze in the little bags made for this purpose in the correct portions. Same for soups. Don't forget that old standby, the crock pot. You can make a very hearty stew with potatoes, onions, great bean-less chili for a different taste. Throw everything in the post before you go to work, turn on low or med, dinner is ready when you get home. Polenta pie is super quick and delicious: make your polenta in the pot, stir in any thing you want - diced red/orange/yellow peppers, garlic, jalapenos, a little cheese, any spices, anything not too watery or that wouldn't go with cornmeal. When it's cooked, pour into a greased glass pie pan, sprinkle top with cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until cheese melts. Cut like pie and serve with salad that you make while the polenta is baking. I agree that the prepared (frozen, etc.) vegetarian foods are just as junky as non-veg. Have you ever looked at the sodium contents? Got this off another website: Vegan "Meatloaf" 1 package of frozen TVP (Texturized Vegetable Protein- Ground beef imitation type such as "GimmeLean") 1 bell pepper, diced 1 medium onion (or according to taste) 1 egg OR equivelent in egg-replacer Approx. 1.5 cups of bread-crumbs (Add as you feel needed) A lot of ketchup (the more the better) Defrost TVP. Hand-mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Put in casserole dish, mold to dish. Add more ketchup to cover sides and top( like cake icing). Bake for 1 hour (or until the veggies are tender). Note: When served, it may fall apart, or crumble. This "meatloaf" is best with corn and mashed potatoes on the side! Personally, I love to cook and be creative with food - it really relaxes me. Perhaps since time is a factor, you can start to prepare meals together if you already don't. It's a nice way to be together after a day of work. (If your...

Slugs are the usual culprits and a constant battle, esp. with new seedlings. You could use many diff ways to combat slugs. Slugs will eliminate carrot seedlings as soon as they germinate so you will not even see them or know they germinated. Where are you located that you are starting seeds in Sept.? Going out at nite you can often find slugs at work. I use about 20% Ammonia/water mixed in a spray bottle for slugs. I like this cuz often when you spray it often you find slugs you had not seen. Scissors are another effective way to combat slugs. Keep a pair and the spray bottle right in the garden esp. for those daytime encounters. Sluggo is a product you can spread for slugs but read the label esp. if you have pets. Laying down boards in the walkway for slugs to hide under is an effective way to find em during the daylight hours. Then use the ammonia or scissors to cut em in half. Just be sure to check under the boards everyday or you are just giving slugs a place to hide. HTH