My Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

The first time I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for my family, my mother said:

You're not a great cook, you just buy fancy ingredients. 

Oh my mother…she's quite the character. 

Growing up our Thanksgiving dinner was pretty much a typical Puerto Rican dinner: arroz con gandules, potato salad, tostones and/or sweet plantains. And we ate turkey. But there was no stuffing, sweet potatoes or cranberry sauce. In fact, I didn't have any of these things until I married The Husband and I learned that this is what he wanted for Thanksgiving dinner.   

I don't cook full meals often. But I enjoy cooking for friends and family when I can.  And I am so excited to be cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year for my family. Even though I know my mother will have something to say about what I prepare. It's okay, she's amusing. And I'll ask her to make arroz con gandules. 

What I'm Cooking on Thanksgiving

Truth be told, I'm not crazy about turkey but The Husband is, so I make it. This year I'm making a Mojo Cubano Turkey. I've never made it before but this recipe got rave reviews on Food.com. 

Every year I ponder the same thing: Sweet Potatoes versus Yams. Are they the same?  What's the difference? Seriously, does anyone know?! I just started to like sweet potatoes this year and I'm super excited about this Pomegranate Lacquered Sweet Potatoes recipe my friend Ericka from Nibbles and Feasts shared on her site.    

One thing I absolutely love is stuffing made from scratch - none of that box stuff over here.  I especially love corn bread and this Chorizo Sausage Pistachio Pear Stuffing by my friend, Nicole of Presley's Pantry sounds scrumptious!   

And now…for the Cranberry Controversy! 

The other day I got into a heated debate with my BFF over cranberry sauce. I like fresh cranberry sauce and she likes the jelly canned stuff (gross). And it surprised me, because my BFF is sort of a food snob. We spent a good 15 minutes discussing cranberry sauce. I feel like cranberry sauce is a hot topic and everyone has an opinion about it. Which do you prefer? 

Anyway, since I prefer fresh cranberry sauce, I'm going with this recipe by Alexandra Guarnaschelli - one of my favorite Iron Chefs on The Food Network. Do you know about Alex? (I'm going to call her Alex, because even though I don't know her, I think she'd be cool with it.) I mean, the way this woman talks about food and bacon - I know we could be friends. I just know it. And so when it comes to food, I trust her completely.  

As for dessert do I want to make:

a. Horchata Cupcakes 
b. Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake 
c. Apple Yam Crumble 
d. all of the above

So…what are YOU making for Thanksgiving dinner? And seriously, if someone can explain the difference between a Sweet Potato and a Yam I'd appreciate it. Thanks. 

AND  for the kids check out this cute DIY Thanksgiving Placement for the kids by Ruby of Growing Up Blackxican.

Curious to know how I'm teaching The Boy about Thanksgiving? Check out my latest post on Babble, click ---> http://bit.ly/1iOiMnq

Celebrating National Breakfast Month {Autism Style} Week 2

September is National Breakfast Month, I'd thought I'd try something different on the blog and share some of our favorite breakfast recipes. 

We don't have The Boy on the GF/CF diet but sometimes we like to go with a raw diet you know? 

Fruit & Nuts
Rinse your favorite fruit and serve with your nut of choice. 
Great for a Sunday morning, when you're on the go or when you're too tired to think of anything else.

And in case you missed it...Celebrating National Breakfast Month {Autism Style} Week 1

Come on back next week to see what's for breakfast. 

Celebrating National Breakfast Month {Autism Style} Week 1

I love food. Love it. I love eating it, looking at it and talking about it. I love watching it on the Food Network and reading about it on blogs (there are so many I adore!). 

The only problem is I don't cook. I mean, I do cook (of course I cook, what kind of mother/wife you think I am) but it's more out of necessity rather than enjoyment.  

So since September is National Breakfast Month, I'd thought I'd try something different on the blog and share some of my favorite recipes. 

Cereal
Open box. Pour into bowl and boom! Breakfast is served. 

   
Come on back next Wednesday to see what's for breakfast!

Wordless Wednesday: Let Them Eat Cake (and Muffins)!



 EASY Gluten Free Blueberry Cake



Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Cake

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Photos & Recipes Courtesy of Yvonne

Yvonne is a journalist by trade and a blogger by night. At YvonneInLA she writes about life in Los Angeles with her two adorable boys, food and restaurants, and a little bit about politics and Latino issues. She loves creating gluten-free recipes, running marathons, and traveling. When she’s not blogging at YvonneInLA, she’s editing over at MomsLA.com, where she is a founder.

If you have a gluten free/casein free recipe that you'd like to share with AutismWonderland - email me at AutismWonderland@gmail.com  

Milk & Bread: Food Staples or Enemies of the Table

This morning The Boy asked for milk – demanded, is probably the better word.  We ran out of milk last night and I was too tired to run out and get more.  I don’t drink milk, and The Husband only drinks it with cookies.  But The Boy – he can drink it all day long.  Guzzling it straight from the carton (I know, kind of gross – we’re working on that).  There are mornings when I wake up and find the refrigerator door open – the gallon of milk on the floor with the top off.  And I know at some point during the middle of the night, The Boy woke up, walked to the kitchen, gulped down some milk and went back to bed. 

Whenever I see him chugging his milk like a frat boy chugs beer, I can’t help but wonder if I should’ve have stuck to the GF/CF diet. Is milk doing his little body good?  Or is it holding him back from further development? [According to one theory, some people with autism spectrum disorders cannot properly digest gluten and casein, which form peptides, or substances that act like opiates in their bodies. The peptides then alter the person's behavior, perceptions, and responses to his environment. Some scientists now believe that peptides trigger an unusual immune system response in certain people.] 

A few weeks after his original diagnosis (May 2008), I decided to try the diet.  I went through my kitchen cabinets, cleaned out my refrigerator and went on a food shopping spree.  Do you know what food products contain Casein or Gluten?  EVERYTHING!

I read the nutrition labels of packages and opted for organic and all natural ingredients.  So I replaced regular milk with Almond, Soy, Rice & Hemp – unsure of which The Boy would prefer.  I purchased Tofutti (dairy free) ice cream and Gluten Free cereals.  And eliminated a staple from his diet: The Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich. 

Starting the diet was expensive – do you know how much a tiny carton of almond or rice milk costs?  And living in the Bronx , GF/CF products were not only harder to find but more expensive. (Though, now as my neighborhood is becoming gentrified - there are more GF/CF options.) So I found myself food shopping in the city during my lunch hour and lugging bags home on my way home from work.

I wish I could say that starting the diet was the hardest part.  But have you ever tried convincing an old school Puerto Rican grandmother that milk/milk products and bread needs to be eliminated from a child’s diet? 

My mother and I disagree on a lot of things – almost everything.  But this decision made Carmen crazy.  (I often refer to my mother as Carmen, though not to her face – I’ll get slapped.) 

“What do you mean no milk and bread?  He needs his milk.  You are taking away all the things he loves!”  She yelled. 

“He’s two Mother.  He doesn’t know what he loves.”

“Hmpf…we’ll see.”  And I knew this meant that when he was with Abuela, she would give him whatever he wanted – gluten free/casein free or not.

At the time, no one was supportive of my decision of going GF/CF.  Not our pediatrician, not the ABA therapist, not my mother, some friends. 

So after a few months of doing it (kind of half-ass), I gave up.  He was making strides with the Early Intervention therapists and was about to start a center based program.  And I didn’t know if his improvement was due to the therapy or the diet.  So we went back to milk, ice cream and gluten filled cake.  And secretly, since quitting I’ve carried this guilt around, feeling like a mother failure. 

Like all else Autism – there is so much debate and nothing truly conclusive.  Ask five different moms/doctors/therapists and you’ll get five different answers.  So what is a mom to do?  Give it another go?  I know that if I decide to try it again, I need to give a full six months and document the results.  And now that he's older and knows exactly what he likes and doesn't like - it will be so much harder.  Am I ready for that?  Am I selfish for not willing to commit and try again? 

Would love to hear your thoughts/stories on living GF/CF!