GF Cooking and Baking 2010-NYC

I had an unusual bachelorette party this weekend.  It was called for Saturday night and instead of doing the usual drinking, bar hopping and dancing/strip club kind of party this was a cooking and baking party called mycookingparty.com.  We made Baked Egglpant Rolatini stuffed with a mixture of Ricotta cheese, Mozzarella, fresh Garlic and Italian Herbs, Roasted Chicken-Smoked Mozarella Ravioli served with a Pomodoro Sauce, Banana-Nutella Purses with Hazelnut Chocolate, Apples, Raspberry Coulis and Rice Pasta for the Gluten-Free girl (that's me).  What a buzz kill!

We made pasta (ravoli) from scratch and I must say just me touching and handling Wheat Flour made my face break out in hives and a red hot rash on my cheeks and ears.  My face felt like it was on fire.  I couldn't believe it.  My mom had told me that her Gluten-Free cooking class teacher couldn't even be around raw wheat and gluten-filled ingredients because she got violent headaches.  I thought my mom was nutso!  Turns out I was.  Because having Celiac Disease is serious, and it effects your body in many, many ways.  Sometimes I'm so stubborn, I should have listened.  My bad and lesson learned!

We were with about 10 girls making these fantastic dishes.  Dishes that were so mouth watering even I wanted to eat them! But, after the heated rash on my face incident I decided to just watch, and in my mind I was thinking of fabulous ways to convert these recipes to a gluten-free-friendly menu.  When I figure it out, the menu will be offered on my blog.  : )

But wouldn't it be nice if there were organized Gluten-Free baking classes out there where we could make tarts, pies, pie crusts, Quiches and pastry purses simular to the ones in the bachelorette party class I took over the weekend?  Well now you can.  Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health has some great classes going on for Spring/Summer 2010.    Classes like Gluten-Free Vegan Masterpieces where you will make Spiced Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Creamy Coconut Frosting, Cappuccino Walnut Brownies,  Caramelized Buckwheat Pancakes and more or a Gluten-Free Bread class learning to make gluten free breads like Dark Tangy Pumpernickel, French Baguettes, chewy Bagels, English Muffins and more?

Or how about a class on making amazing Gluten-Free tarts, pies, pie crusts, Quiches? Making jam's from scratch or learning how to make your own gluten-free graham cracker pie crust?  Making Gluten-free purses (GF Phyllo dough wrapped with delicious centers of apples and fudge)?  Or what about famous Italian desserts but Gluten-Free like Homemade GF Cream Puffs with Homemade GF Chocolate Sauce or Hand Chocolate Dipped Biscotti, GF Canoli's and GF Love Knots?  Well you can!  Did you hear what I just said?  It exists at the Natural Gourmet Institute.  Classes run for abou $200 a class, but then again that's a whole lot of baking.  The classes run for the day some are from 11am-5pm.  I think it's worth it!  This is so exciting! 

Check out the website.  Absorb.  And have fun baking!

xoxo Julie

http://www.goodiegoodiegluten-free.blogspot.com/