This is for YOU, Grandma!

Growing up I think that my Grandma Mina always had the fear that I would starve to death (when I moved out of my parents home) because I really didn't know how to cook. I never liked cooking. Any time my brother or I had to help in the kitchen I offered to set the table or clean up. I rarely wanted to be a part of the actual food prep part (except for making gravy on Sunday's--I would usually take that job because I love gravy!). My brother was the baker in the family and while I'd partake in his goodies, I can only remember one time I attempted to make chocolate chip cookies--and that was a near disaster (who knew you couldn't put all the ingredients, wet and dry, together and just stir....well, I think they came out decent, but not quite the same! [By the way, this was attempted when my mom was out of town.] What was I thinking? Guess I didn't read directions too well! My brother, younger, mind you, knew better and got quite the kick out of my mistake! I was around 11 years old then and it must have scarred me good because I rarely baked after that!).

Then there was the time I tried to make Easy Mac in my college dorm room microwave. I mean, who can mess up Easy Mac!? It's not named that for no reason! Well, I managed to learn that freshman year that it's not a good idea to attempt to make Easy Mac without milk or butter--water just didn't cut it! This time it was new roommate who got the kick out of my cooking disgraces. (I must add, though, that after this I made Easy Mac multiple times for late night snacks, so I finally did get the hang of it!)

So, all that to say that the irony that I would be the one with multiple food allergies--to the point that I have to do all my baking and cooking from scratch--is really quite great. Ha! I get a kick out of God's humor at times. I don't always enjoy being in the kitchen, but at least I am not afraid of substituting ingredients any more. That's a normal way of life and I am pleased that I am finally getting the hang of it!

I think am slowly becoming a cook and baker in my own right. I have been tweaking a recipe that I adapted from the New Joy of Cooking cookbook. I think it is titled "Drop Biscuits" in the book. At our house we call them "Stone Biscuits." My husband named them after the first time I made them. The only way I could get them to stay together was to squeeze them in my hand and put them on the pan. Thankfully the recipe has been improved slightly so they will somewhat "drop" and sometimes I will still squash them slightly so they'll stay together better.

So here is my famous Stone Biscuit recipe. For those of you who are used to buttery, flaky, light biscuits, these aren't for you! But if you are deprived and wanting something like a biscuit, this may be your new favorite. I suggest eating them with peanut butter and honey -- delicious!

STONE BISCUITS

½ cup white rice flour
½ cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
¾ tsp
2/3 – ¾ cup water or milk
1/4 cup canola oil

Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Stir water/milk and oil together and add to dry mixture. Stir well with a fork until all or most of the flour is absorbed. Gather small amounts of dough on fork and drop on pan, pressing lightly with your hand if they aren't staying together. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 10 minutes.

I always told my Grandma (well, if I didn't tell her, I thought it!) that I'd learn to cook when 1. I got married and had someone to cook for or 2. I was starving and in need of food. Reason #1 taught me some things, but #2 has truly begun to forge me into a cook/baker. And Lord willing, I'll have many more years to learn even more!