It’s time for another Gluten-Free Wednesday (GFW)—including Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pecan Crumb Cake, Cheesy Pepperoni Squares, and more! But first, let me tell you what we’ve been up to.
Mr. GFE and I decided to take a field trip today. We actually saw more color variety in the fall foliage heading southeast than we’ve seen here. It was also over 80 degrees and sunny. Lovely fall weather. So our visit to Rosewell Ruins (which I learned about via Abandoned in Virginia) was a real treat. We both have a thing for history and seeing the ruins of this magnificent historic mansion (construction began in 1725 and the home burned in 1916) was fascinating.
A surprise bonus was that we passed Dr. Walter Reed’s birthplace (built in 1850) en route, at which point we both shared our knowledge of Dr. Reed’s claim to fame and his “connection” to Dr. Samuel Mudd. We weren’t clear on all the details and one discussion led to another. In fact, we’ve been researching bits and pieces related to all of these people and places all evening. It’s good for the brain for history lovers and there just might be more field trips related to these figures and places in our near future. But clearly, I digress.
If you’re new here, GFW is the weekly blog carnival that I co-host with my friends Linda of Gluten-Free Homemaker (sadly, this site is no longer active) and Lynn of Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures . If you’re a blogger, please link up your gluten-free eating ideas (following guidelines at the bottom of this post). Link up to either my, Linda’s, or Lynn’s GFW post and your submission will show up on all three of our blogs. Every week my co-hosts and I get to choose our favorites and highlight them in our posts. Your gluten-free eating idea might get the spotlight!
My Highlights from gfe
~ Over 20 Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes on GFE ~ Something Delicious for Everyone Living Gluten Free! ~ I do love pumpkin! Although admittedly I didn’t jump on board the pumpkin recipe bandwagon back in August and September as I was holding onto summer, now IS the time to share all things pumpkin. You can enjoy these recipes—pies, bread, cake, bars, smoothies, lattes, for months to come!
The Most Popular Post on Gluten-Free Wednesdays Last Week
~ Pumpkin Pecan Crumb Cake from Chrystal Carver (sadly, this recipe is no longer available) ~ This cake is clearly one of those recipes with major eye appeal … and obviously taste appeal, too!
Incidentally, Chrystal’s recipes are making lots of folks happy these days. When I did a giveaway of her new cookbook, Sweet & Simple Gluten-Free Baking: Irresistible Classics in 10 Ingredients or Less, recently, gfe reader Gina was one of the winners. As soon as she received Chrystal’s book, she started baking. She sent me these reviews and photos of her results when making the Fudge Brownies and Chocolate Cake. (Note: Gina used her favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour mix in these recipes. You can use Chrystal’s flour mixes or your personal favorite mix.)
“Made the brownies as soon as I got in from checking the mail and they are pretty darn yummy!”
Gluten-Free Fudge Brownies (Photo by Gina Bray)
“Oh my goodness… This one was incredible! I got worried until I added the hot water… And like magic, it came together beautifully! Thanks again for the cookbook!! I added some strawberry preserves with the buttercream.”
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Filling and Buttercream Frosting (Photo by Gina Bray)
~ My GFW Post “Picks”
~ Cheesy Pepperoni Squares from What the Fork Food Blog ~ I can never resist pepperoni! These squares would make any event more enjoyable. They’re on my menu plan!
~ Slow Cooker Chicken from Back to My Roots (sadly, this site is no longer active) ~ I’ve always loved succulent roasted whole chicken. Andrea cooked this beautiful chicken in her slow cooker. It’s naturally gluten free, which works for my gfe approach every time!
~ Pumpkin Gingerbread Protein Pancakes from The Big Man’s World ~ You’d never know that these beautiful and fluffy pancakes are grain free. Add in the other delightful factors—pumpkin, gingerbread, and protein boost—and I’m ready to get out my griddle!
The Carnival
We appreciate your participation and are happy to share many of the links on social media sites. However, as much as we hate to put a damper on this fun carnival, entries that do not follow the guidelines will not be shared and will be deleted from the linky.
~ You must link back to one of the co-hosts.
~ Links should be about a gluten-free eating idea. While it doesn’t have to be a recipe, it should be food related.
~ Recipes should have gluten-free ingredients or options in the recipe (not elsewhere in the text).
~ If you’re new, please read all the guidelines.
Note: Linking up indicates you are giving permission for us to share your submitted photo and your link via social media or in next week’s post if it is selected as the most popular post for the week or featured as a highlight.
Originally published October 28, 2014; updated November 27, 2022.
Audrey @ Gluten-Free Vegan Love says
What a lovely place to visit, Shirley! For some reason it reminds me of the house in Gone with the Wind, you know?
Thanks for the linky party, as always!
Shirley says
It really was, Audrey. I always wish that for just an instant I could “see” the house back in the day, full of inhabitants, and “in operation,” so to speak. 😉 The ruins of such a building never look as big as it really was though (which was 12000 sq ft), much like when you’re building a home and everything looks much smaller than it is. (That’s why they always tell you to leave the furnishing in place when selling a home, of course.) For example that house had three floors and a vaulted English basement, and … wait for it … had 17 fireplaces! It was considered “the largest and finest of homes during the Colonial period,” with mahogany paneling and black and white marble floors, etc. They are actually conducting ghost tours by lantern this weekend. (Yes, they have ghosts.) Now one of those events would be cool to attend!
Well, Twelve Oaks was a big rectangular beast, too, but actually smaller than Rosewell. Twelve Oaks is only 10,000 sq ft. Yes, it’s an actual home that really exists and still operates as a B&B. I had to look it up! The site says that it was the inspiration for Twelve Oaks in the movie, but somehow they used a set vs a real house it seems and it was more exaggerated in its grandeur than Twelve Oaks. Thanks for the nudge to look it up! 🙂
Thanks for participating every week, dear!
Shirley
Audrey @ Gluten-Free Vegan Love says
That’s so neat, Shirley! I know what you mean about the impression of the space. 17 fireplaces — wow! And here I am feeling a bit lazy managing my one wood stove 😉 . I’m actually a total sucker for old ruins and the lovely architecture and artwork of the past. I love visiting places like that and just have time to soak up the environment and the impressions these beautiful buildings create, imagining how people lived in there, etc. Now, add in some ghosts, and you’ve got me intrigued 🙂
Shirley says
Right, Audrey! We’ll be back in wood stove mode tomorrow evening. 😉 There’s only one for us now, too, although we did live in an old farmhouse when we were first married and had to have two wood stoves to stay warm there. I LOVED my kitchen wood stove and shared our farmhouse experience here if you want to read about it. Good memories! We live in a very historical area and never get tired of re-visiting favorite local spots (like Stratford Hall) and finding new places to explore. Everything from these bygone eras is pretty extraordinary and hard to conceive when you consider our modern “architecture” (overly generous word in most cases). We’ll be talking about Rosewell and learning more about it for years to come. We are an area of ghosts, so to speak. My husband grew up in home built in 1802 that had several ghosts. They are documented in Ghosts of Fredericksburg. I heard one particular ghost “phenomenon” many times. For real. 🙂
Shirley
Audrey @ Gluten-Free Vegan Love says
“…modern “architecture” (overly generous word in most cases)” >>> totally agreed!
I have really fond memories of my grandmother’s kitchen wood stove! I also love old places. Our current home is more modern, but the last place my husband and I were living at was an old log farmhouse from the 1860s and there was history and beauty in every inch of that place.
P.S. I’ve stayed in haunted places and have my share of fun stories from those times 😉 . I bet your husband has lots of interesting stories to tell 😉
Shirley says
Oooh on living in that old log cabin! Our home now is “modern,” too, but I designed it and it has an old feel, plus it’s almost 29 years old now. 😉 Wood stoves—and “cook stoves”—were much more common back in the day. We are so spoiled with our modern ranges. I can’t even imagine having to control baking biscuits by adjusting the wood I was burning. I can imagine that we’d have some fun conversations about our past experiences—old homes and ghosts!
Shirley
Megan Ancheta | Allergy Free Alaska says
I would have loved to go on your field trip, Shirley! Those ruins look so cool! Bet you guys had a fantastic day! 😉
Thank you for hosting!
xo,
Megan
Shirley says
That would have been really fun, Megan! I’ll happily play tour guide to “everywhere” when you come to visit one day! 🙂 Read the first part of my comment to Audrey on how I feel about it all. I always think that when I’m in a historic setting and am in awe. Such very, very different times. It was a great day. I only wish we’d had time to stop at Dr. Walter Reed’s birthplace. We’ll have to do that another time that we’re in the area, which isn’t often.
Thanks for linking up! I appreciate you faithful followers/linkers! 😉 xo,
Shirley
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
Shirley, those ruins look like an amazing place for a field trip! Damn Australia- we have nothing like that here!
Thanks for hosting- I truly mean it. Since I came across this link up, I’ve literally made it my mission to strictly make all prospective recipes gluten free!
Shirley says
Arman–Each place has its own special attributes and beauty. 😉 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment on the ruins and our GFW event. Based on all the delightful recipes you’ve shared in the past, we are all delighted that you’ll be sharing strictly gluten-free recipes from this point on! Can’t wait to see what you share each week! 🙂 I knew from the moment I saw the photo of the Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies that it was your recipe. You’ve added your special twist to that recipe as well as that amazing Hazelnut Espresso Granola!
Shirley
Shirley
Starlene @ GAPS Diet Journey says
Love the photos of the ruins! Thanks for hosting, Shirley! 🙂
Shirley says
Thanks, Starlene! Thanks, too, for linking up your Pear Pecan Pie. Very nice indeed! 🙂
Shirley
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
Thanks for featuring my pepperoni squares Shirley!
Shirley says
Totally my pleasure, Sharon! Those cheesy pepperoni squares are calling me. I can’t wait to take these to a special event. I will be VERY popular that day! 😉
Shirley
Chrystal Carver says
Thank you for featuring my Pumpkin Pecan Crumb Cake and sharing the feedback on my cookbook 🙂
Best,
Chrystal
Shirley says
Hi Chrystal–I was tickled to see that readers picked your Pumpkin Pecan Crumb Cake this week! It certainly is on my list and your new recipe, Toasted Almond and Coconut Cake is pushing all the right buttons, too. 😉 (Ooops, I see it’s not new, but no matter … it’s clearly yummy!) And I thought you would enjoy that lovely feedback from Gina (with proof no less!) on recipes from your new book! 😉
Shirley
Vicky says
Hi Shirley
One from the archives today! It’s the time of year again for baking Grain Free Gingerbread Men – very popular for Bonfire Night in the UK on November 5th.
And the lovely recipe for date paste from Amy Jo will work just nicely in this recipe!
Thank you for hosting!
Vicky xo
Shirley says
Vicky–You know I love your gingerbread men! Have you seen how bloggers have been turning their Gingerbread Men into skeleton fellows for Halloween? Here’s one example from Sarah Bakes Gluten-Free Treats. I guess it’s not a new thing, but I don’t remember seeing it before. I think I would love Bonfire Night! Hot cocoa and gingerbread men for all. 🙂 And thanks for sharing a recipe that is a match for my All Gluten-Free Desserts feature!
xo,
Shirley
Vicky says
Oh yes, I’ve seen the skeleton gingerbread men – so cute!
Shirley says
They really are, Vicky! 😉
Laura O|Petite Allergy Treats says
Thanks so much for the party! I actually remembered! 🙂 Have a wonderful week!
Shirley says
You’re welcome! And I’m all about both of the recipes that you linked up! The Zucchini Salsa Cups look so fresh and inviting and those vegan yeast-free Cinnamon Rolls from Cara look pretty amazing! Love the recipes in her cookbook. 🙂
Shirley
[email protected] Gluten Free A-Z Blog says
Shirley,
It’s so nice that you and your husband have the opportunity to take field trips and explore some of the local history. Sounds like a wonderful day! I’m loving all the pumpkin recipes especially that pecan pumpkin cake. Thanks for hosting this weekly gluten free event! Have a great week.
Shirley says
Hi Judee–Thanks! We were feeling very grateful for the outing and learning so much about a “new” home and its place in history. 🙂 Yes, all of us pumpkin lovers have plenty to get excited about these days. Chrystal outdid herself with that Pumpkin Pecan Crumb Cake! Your Mushroom “Barley” Barley-Free Soup sounds delicious. 😉
Hope you have a good week, too!
Shirley
[email protected] Gluten Free A-Z Blog says
Thanks for the suggestion to put the “barley” in quotes. I couldn’t think of a way to convey that it is not really barley. The quote symbols work great!
Shirley says
Happy to help, Judee! Although readers still panicked (like I did originally) when they saw my post sharing it on Facebook. It’s good to know that everyone is on alert for gluten though! 🙂
Shirley
Kathryn says
I want to go on a field trip with you Shirley!
Shirley says
Oh, that would be fun, Kathryn! I think we’re going on a field trip to see caverns and pretty peak foliage tomorrow. 😉
Shirley
Kathryn says
No time for field trips but I’ve been sneaking lots of long dog walks up to the lake this week. The foliage is gorgeous now. Enjoy the caverns!
Shirley says
That sounds lovely, Kathryn! We didn’t get to go the caverns (got a late start), but we did have a nice outing and saw some great peak and slightly past peak fall foliage. 🙂
Shirley