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Last Minute Halloween Ideas!

10/31/2014

Happy Halloween, y'all!

Now, I'm sure it is possible that some of y'all MIGHT have procrastinated and are looking for last minute costume ideas. Well, never fear! Olivia is here! ;) Here are my top five favorite last minute costume ideas!!

1) The Comic Book Character:
Just a bit of makeup and you're set. If you're feeling SUPER creative, you can even throw on a fun wig!

here

2) Identity Thief:
All you need for this one is a package of basic name tags and a sharpie. Pretty simple, huh?

here

3) A Cactus:
If you happen to own a green sweatsuit, this costume would be a piece of cake. Just attach a few cut up drinking straws and arrange your arms appropriately . Voila!

here

4) A Human Pinterest Board:
This one is pure brilliance. Find out how she did it here.

And last, but certainly not least . . .

5) A Deviled Egg:
All you need is some poster board and a pair of devil horns. I'm sure you'll have plenty of devilish complements in this costume! Ha. Devilish . . . see what I did there!?

here

That's all the last minute costumes I've got for y'all today!

Let me know which one is your favorite in the comments!!

Also, if you're looking for info. on the #TealPumpkinProject, you can find that here or here.

Happy Halloween, Y'all!!
Love,
Olivia

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Teal Pumpkins, Y'all!

10/30/2014

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Okay y'all, we chatted a bit about this the other day. . . find that other post here.

Tomorrow is Halloween! At the "witching" hour your neighborhood will instantly be filled with Elsa and Ana, Olaf and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. According to statistics, 1 out of every 13 of those happily costumed children will have a food allergy of some sort.

Now, I'm sure y'all are thinking. . . "Olivia, what does this have to do with me!?" Well, I'm glad y'all asked!! ;) There's a super cool project going on right now to create a safe and Happy Halloween for all the little Ghouls and Boys in your neighborhood! All you have to do is buy NON food treats for your trick or treaters, and put a TEAL pumpkin on your doorstep indicating to trick or treaters that you have safe treats.

Don't get me wrong, you can still offer candy too! Just have a bowl of each! ;)

If you're a family looking for safe places to trick or treat, check out this map that links to all participating neighborhoods and businesses.

Look at all those pumpkins!

Don't forget you can play your own part in it!

It is NOT too late!

Paint a pumpkin teal and make a child's Halloween just a wee bit happier this year!

Tell me what y'all think about the #TealPumpkinProject in the comments!

Hope y'all have a great day!
Love,
Olivia

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Fall, Home, and other Ramblings

10/29/2014

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Okay, so it's really no secret that I've moved quite a bit in my lifetime. I've lived at nine different addresses in three different states, and I have become quite familiar with things feeling . . . unfamiliar and new. I feel a kinship with this quote on the right quite often and wonder where my home is on a regular basis.

I thought Knoxville would feel like home again when we moved back last fall after 10 years away, but then I realized it wasn't home. As much as I wanted to feel like I was at home here, it just didn't fit. It still doesn't. I've spent more years here than any other place, and yet it doesn't feel like home. Why might that be? 1

Well for starters, you don't remember many events in your life before the ages of 3 to 4. In addition to that, most autobiographical memories don't truly take root until around ages 5 to 6. Now, I'm not saying I have no memories before that, but most memories of Knoxville start around age five. This means that out of the seven years I lived here, I only had about two years of memories. The next town we lived in was in South Georgia, and we only lived there for three years. So, as a result, I have about the same number of memories attached to living there.

We then moved to Rome, Georgia, home of Berry College -- where all my fall pictures had been taken for the almost seven years we lived there. Rome also houses the largest chunk of my memory tank. It's where I got my braces and my learner's permit. It's the first place I ever drove on a real road and the place I started high school. It hasn't always necessarily felt like home, and to be real honest -- I'm still unsure of whether it truly is or isn't. What I can tell you is my time there went a long way toward shaping me into who I am today. A large part of my very self is and always will be wrapped up into this little town in Northwest Georgia, and it definitely still holds my heart when it comes to Fall.

You see, one of the biggest disappointments in moving to Knoxville has been its muted fall colors. I expected that from our time in Southwest Louisiana, but it has come as a surprise here in East Tennessee. I expected brilliant fall colors. I mean, how hard is that anyway? I've now spent two autumn seasons here in Knoxville and both have been disappointing when it comes to intense fall colors.

Yesterday was different. Yesterday we made an impromptu drive down to Rome (about two and a half hours from Knoxville). Yesterday, I got to see fall in Rome again for the first time in since 2011. It was glorious. I ADORE fall, y'all! It's my favorite season, always has been, and Rome, GA, did not disappoint yesterday.

For the first time in longer than I'd ever imagined I would miss, fall looked like fall. The colors were vibrant, the leaves were dancing. Fall looked like normal. Fall felt like fall.

See, regardless of whether or not Rome truly is home for me -- it certainly felt like it yesterday. Today I'm choosing to relish and cherish those moments of anything that feels like home. So, here are some pictures from my trip "home" yesterday. Hope y'all enjoy the color!

Where are y'all's favorite places to be for fall? Let me know in the comments!!

Happy Fall, Y'all!
Love,
Olivia

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Aldi LiveGfree Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix Review

10/28/2014

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As y'all know, I love Aldi's Gluten Free product line. So, I figured I'd do a review on another one of their products. :)

Today, I'll be reviewing the Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix!

We'll do this review based on Three categories! Price, Yield, and Taste.

Let's dive straight into our review, shall we?

Price: One of the cheapest mixes on the market at $2.99 for 16.5 ounces compared to a couple other brands at $4.27 for 16 ounces, and $17.39 for 18 ounces.

Yield: The package states it will make 2 10-inch pizza crusts, but we typically use it in a rectangular jelly roll pan, meaning I cannot accurately attest to whether or not it yields the amount claimed. This seems to be a bit more than some crust mixes: this one for example. I think it's about average overall though.

Taste: The Aldi mix is awesome! We've liked it regardless of our choice of toppings. I'd give it 9/10 stars, simply because it isn't the best at rising, making it a little less fluffy than regular pizza crust.

Overall: I think for the price, the Aldi pizza crust mix is UNBEATABLE! It is simple to make. It's far cheaper than other comparable mixes for around the same amount. I'd definitely recommend it, and think y'all should give it a try! Just one tip: Make sure you have some other gluten free flour to put on your hands to spread that crust on your pan. Could be a toughie if your hands are not prepared! Assuming you're making pizza soon. ;)

Here's a look at one of the pizzas we've made with it:

Pretty, huh? And, let's face it, homemade pizza is a THOUSAND times better than pizza from a box in the freezer section!

I hope y'all found this review helpful!

Tell me in the comments below what your favorite kind of pizza is! I think it's fun to hear how creative others get with their pizza. What is the most unusual topping you or someone you know has put on a pizza?

As always, all opinions expressed in this post are ENTIRELY my own. Aldi has NO clue I exist.

I hope y'all have a Terrific Tuesday and that you'll come right on back tomorrow for a new post!

Love,
Olivia

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Almond Joy/Mounds-Like Cheesecake Truffles

10/27/2014

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Today, I'm sharing a recipe for Mounds/Almond Joy cheesecake truffles!

This isn't going to be a tutorial, just the recipe! ;)

Almond Joy/Mounds Cheesecake Truffles

Ingredients:

1 bag of shredded coconut
1 and a 1/2 bricks (8oz. each) of softened cream cheese. So 12 oz. total.
1/4 stick of softened butter
1 1/2 tsp. of vanilla

Toppings:

Toasted coconut
Almonds
Chocolate Topping (recipe listed below)

1) Cream together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
2) Fold in half of the bag of coconut and the vanilla.
3) Drop the above mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
4) Top with the chocolate sauce and your choice of toasted coconut, almonds, both, or nothing if you choose.
5) Put into the refrigerator and allow to chill overnight.

Chocolate Topping:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of half and half or evaporated milk
A dash of salt
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla

1) Place chocolate chips, butter, sugar & milk into a Pyrex measuring cup.
2) Microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
3) Stir and add salt.
4) Heat until chips are completely melted, add more milk if desired.
5) After heating, stir in vanilla and use as topping!

These are delicious. Just make sure to chill them overnight. They need that much time to set!

Let me know in the comments below what y'all think if you choose to make them. :D
That's all for today! I hope y'all have a Marvelous Monday!

Love,
Olivia

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Sunday Funday!

10/26/2014

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Interrupting our normal Sunday Snacks for a photo dump from this week! Take it as a "What Olivia's been up to" kind of post! ;)

Monday: Enjoyed the pretty flowers my sister planted around our mailbox.

Tuesday: Went to the library. Found a book on raising chickens, does this mean I live in the boonies?

Wednesday: Watched my dog snuggle up in her bed. #crazydoglady Oh, and I worked on my cookbook some.

Thursday: Enjoyed this view outside my window. Clear, blue skies are my favorite.

Friday: We had a tostada bar for dinner. ;)

Saturday: Went on a hike at the UT Arboretum, and made pizza for dinner.

That's all for today!!
Hope y'all enjoyed catching up on my week!
Love,
Olivia

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Want to keep up with Livie's Gone Gluten Free?

10/25/2014

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I gave y'all a wee peek at this yesterday. Hint, the picture part of it was covering up the cookbook yesterday.

Wanna guess first?

The cookbook is still on, so don't worry one little bit about that . . .

No, I'm not launching a Gluten Free Bakery . . . yet. Good guess though!

You can now get Livie's Gone Gluten Free in your email inbox!!

You read that right! You can subscribe to Livie's Gone Gluten Free!

I'll just pop into your email box once a day with the newest post from my blog!

Super exciting, right? Tell me you're excited, please! ;)

That's right, you won't even have to click over to my itty bitty website again.

Plus . . . for the first, oh, let's say 500 subscribers or so . . . there will be some bonus content coming your way soon!

There's a subscribe button right below my bio to the right of this little post.

Just type in your email, and you'll be subscribed!

That's all our news for today. Check back tomorrow for the latest and greatest from Livie's Gone Gluten Free.

Have a Stupendous Saturday y'all!!
Love,
Olivia

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Cookbook Update!

10/24/2014

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Do y'all love these weekly cookbook updates or not? I'll stop them if you don't like them. Honestly. Just let me know in the comments section! ;)

For those of y'all who love the updates, let's get on with it. . . shall we? :D

The cookbook is now AHEAD of schedule!

Amazing what happens when you don't procrastinate, isn't it?

I have a total of two pages to complete, and then it'll be ready to go off to the editor. . . my fabulous mother (who just so happens to be a professional copy editor and proofreader. I know, I hit the jackpot.)

Just like it was last week; the picture is hiding words, but I am letting the recipe title peek out. Can you see it?

Anyway, most of my yesterday looked like that picture above minus the photo covering the text.

I have really been loving the time I've spent writing. It has been much more fun than I had expected going into this project. I'm enjoying getting this cookbook prepared for y'all, and I hope y'all love reading it and making these goodies as much as I loved writing it and making them here. ;)

Look for the cookbook coming early November (in plenty of time for holiday gift giving -- wink, wink) along with more updates on the process between now and then.

Don't forget to comment below if you found the recipe title. ;)

Have a Fantastic Friday!
Love,
Olivia

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New Products from Krusteaz

10/23/2014

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Hey there! Don't stand out there on the porch and freeze! Fall is definitely bringing a chill to the air around these parts. Y'all can come on in! ;)

"What are we chatting about today?" you ask. Well, we're gonna discuss the new Gluten Free Krusteaz baking products! So grab your beverage of choice, and we'll start talking about these new items Krusteaz has recently released! :D

Y'all got your drinks ready? Okay then, let's look into Krusteaz's new product line!

The product line currently has a total of four mixes, all of which are certified Gluten Free.

Double Chocolate Brownie Mix:
These are described as, "combining rich, fudge-like texture with loads of chocolate chips"
Now, I tried these at Costco when I was in Colorado, and they're . . . just ok. Not my favorite Gluten Free brownies, but they are still yummy.

Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix:
This sounds yummy! They describe it as being made with real honey and suggest using it in a Spicy Garden Cornbread Muffins Recipe, which I think sounds delicious.

Blueberry Muffin Mix:
I'm REALLY excited about these. I love muffins, with blueberry being one of my favorite flavors, with cranberry orange as a close second (Are ya listening, Krusteaz?) These come with canned wild blueberries, which is a bit better than those dehydrated blueberry wannabes. . .

Buttermilk Pancake Mix:
I don't know about y'all, but this is what I think of when it comes to Krusteaz. I grew up with pancake Saturdays, and we almost always used Krusteaz Pancake Mix which brings back fond memories. I'm hoping the Gluten Free version will elicit the same result. :)

I'm truly excited about this new group of products from Krusteaz, and I'm looking forward to trying the rest of them soon. I also think it'll be interesting to see how Krusteaz expands their line within the Gluten Free community.

Now, it's y'all's turn to chat. Tell me which product you're most looking forward to trying. Are you a brownie addict? A pancake fiend, or more of a cornbread and chili kind of person? Let me know in the comments below!

By the way . . . you'll notice I've changed the comments section to a Disqus conversation! It'll give us all a better way to interact. So, please try it out and let me know what you think!

Have a tremendous Thursday, y'all!
Love,
Olivia

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Immaculate Baking Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Mix (a review)

10/22/2014

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Hey There! Come on in! Today we're talking about Immaculate Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Dough Mix ! :D We bought this mix at Walmart, but you can find it at Kroger, which is where I saw it this morning, or at a number of other grocery stores. You can also buy it in bulk at Amazon. (And trust me, you will want to buy it in bulk.)

I am going to do a pros and cons list for these today. It just works. Let's get into the review, shall we?

Pros:

Easy to make.
It makes decent sized cookies. No pesky quarter-size cookie niblet wannabes here.
Makes quite a few. (About a dozen and a half.)
Soft and chewy cookies.
They're fluffy.
Basically, these cookies are like a soft style of these.

Cons:

They're a wee bit crumbly. Not a deal breaker by any means.

These cookies are DELICIOUS! They'd be adorable frosted and possibly even cuter with sprinkles! ;)
I'd highly recommend these. They'd be perfect for birthday or dinner parties, bible study snacks, school lunches, dessert with dinner, or just a general snack throughout your day. They would not be great rolled out into shapes, but the decorating options with colored sugars/gluten free jimmies or topping with your favorite gluten free frosting are endless.

I'm not saying y'all need to go right out today and try these, but I'd highly suggest it! If y'all are in the market for a Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Mix soon, this would certainly be the mix I would recommend.

Oh, and as always, all the opinions expressed in this post are solely my own! Immaculate Baking has no clue who I am!

Hope y'all have a WONDERFUL day! I am going to go find out if my mom snagged the last of our sugar cookies.
Wish me luck!
Love,
Olivia

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<<Previous

Last Minute Halloween Ideas!

Teal Pumpkins, Y'all!

Fall, Home, and other Ramblings

Aldi LiveGfree Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix Review

Almond Joy/Mounds-Like Cheesecake Truffles

Sunday Funday!

Want to keep up with Livie's Gone Gluten Free?

Cookbook Update!

New Products from Krusteaz

Immaculate Baking Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Mix (a review)

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