Is this candy gluten-free?

I know I'm late on the gluten-free candy list, what with it being November, and not Halloween anymore, but since my husband and I have been raiding our son's candy supply, I thought I'd share this information I just found.  I was surprised at some of these popular candies that are not gluten-free! (I found this list on about.com).  I know I've accidently ingested gluten because of some of these.  Now we know!

Nestle USA
Nestle USA considers "gluten-free" to mean "no gluten ingredients are in the product, whether directly added, or potentially present due to cross-contact. If a product label has an allergen advisory statement such as 'made on equipment' or 'facility that also processes wheat etc.,' we do not consider that product to be gluten-free. It is important to always read product labels/packaging for the most accurate information." Nestle will label potential gluten cross contamination, a customer service representative says.

According to Nestle, the following candies are gluten-free:
• Baby Ruth
• Bit-O-Honey
• Butterfinger Bar (original flavor only, NOT Crisp, Giant Bar, Snakerz, Medallions, Jingles, Hearts or Pumpkins)
• Milk Chocolate
• Goobers
• Nips (including both regular and sugar-free)
• Oh Henry!
• Raisinets (including Cranberry and Dark Chocolate flavors)
• Sno-Caps
• Wonka Pixy Stix
• Laffy Taffy (including Laffy Taffy Rope)
• Wonka Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip

The following Nestle candy products are NOT gluten-free:
• Butterfinger Crisp Bar
• Butterfinger Giant Bar
• Butterfinger Snackerz
• Butterfinger Medallions
• Butterfinger Jingles
• Butterfinger Hearts
• Butterfinger Pumpkins
• Wonka Nerds
• Sweetarts
• Wonka Bar (all flavors)
• Chewy Spree
• Wonka Gummies
• Wonka Kazoozles
• Everlasting Gobstopper
• 100 Grand Bar

In some of these products, the ingredients themselves are gluten-free, but the candies are processed in a facility that also processes gluten.
Contact Nestle USA at 800-225-2270 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 800-225-2270 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Mars Chocolate
Mars Chocolate makes M&M's, Dove, Snickers and other products. The company urges gluten-free consumers to check labels, even if a product normally is gluten-free; in busy times of year (such as Halloween), Mars uses alternative facilities to make its candy, and some of those may introduce cross-contamination risks. The company says it will label any gluten ingredients or cross-contamination.
Warning: At least some packages of two relatively new varieties of M&Ms — coconut and mint flavors — include the warning "May contain wheat" on their labels as of October 2012. Other varieties — including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut and almond — don't contain that warning. In addition, I saw Mars several seasonal products, including M&Ms candy corn, that featured the "May contain wheat" warning. Always read the label before purchasing.

According to Mars Chocolate, the following candies are gluten-free:
• M&M's (all EXCEPT for pretzel-flavored M&M's)
• 3 Musketeers Bars (all flavors)
• Milky Way Midnight Bar
• Milky Way Caramel Bar
• Dove Chocolate products (all flavors EXCEPT for milk chocolate cinnamon graham/cookies and cream)
• Snickers Bars (all flavors)
• Munch Nut Bar (the customer service representative urges consumers to check the labels on this one)

The following Mars Chocolate products are NOT gluten-free:
• M&M Pretzel flavor
• Some packages of M&M Mint and M&M Coconut flavors
• Milky Way Bar (original)
• Mars Bar
• Mars Combos (a snack mix)

Contact Mars Chocolate at 800-627-7852 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 800-627-7852 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Tootsie Roll Industries
Tootsie Roll Industries, which also makes Charms products, says that, as of October 2012, all of the companies confections are considered gluten-free with the exception of Andes cookies. "We do not use wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale, spelt or any of their components and that includes our dusting on our conveyor belts. We do use corn and soy products in the manufacturing of our products."

According to Tootsie Rolls Industries, the following candies are gluten-free:
• Tootsie Rolls
• Fruit Rolls
• Frooties
• Dots
• Tropical Dots
• Crows
• Cella's Milk Chocolate Covered Cherries
• Cella's Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries
• Junior Mints
• Charleston Chew
• Junior Caramels
• Tootsie Pops
• Tootsie Peppermint Pops
• Caramel Apple Pops
• Fruit Smoothie Pops
• Tropical Stormz Pops
• Child's Play
• Charms Blow Pops
• Charms Super Blow Pops
• Charms Pops
• Zip-A-Dee-Mini Pops
• Fluffy Stuff Cotton Candy
• Sugar Daddy Pops
• Sugar Mama Caramels
• Charms Squares
• Charms Sour Balls
• Charms Candy Carnival
• Pops Galore
• Andes
• Sugar Babies

Contact Tootsie Roll Industries at 773-838-3400 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 773-838-3400 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Smarties
Most of Smarties' line of products is considered gluten-free and vegan, according to the company. However, Smarties sells its products to different "re-baggers" as well as various retail outlets. Since a re-bagger buys products from many different companies and then places them in different packaging, only re-baggers can verify whether their manufacturing plants are free of gluten or other allergens. "If the UPC number on the packaging begins with '0 11206,' you can be assured that the product was packaged in one of our manufacturing facilities," which means it should be gluten-free," the company says. Smarties Gummies contain no gluten ingredients, but are manufactured in a facility that also processes wheat-containing products.
Contact Smarties through the company's website.
Hershey's

After several years of listing only a few products as gluten-free, Hershey's published a gluten-free list as of March 2012 that includes several more products, mainly Hershey's Kisses varieties. As of October 2012, the following list of Hershey's candies are gluten-free:

• Almond Joy (all)
• Mounds (all)
• Hershey's Kisses
• Hershey's Filled Chocolate Kisses
• Hershey's Nuggets
• Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar, only in the 1.55 oz. size
• Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds Bar, only in the 1.45 oz. size
• Heath Bars
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (all except for seasonal shaped items)
• Skor
• Skor Toffee Bar
• York Peppermint Pattie (all)

The following Hershey's products are NOT gluten-free:
• Hershey's Special Dark Bar
• Hershey's Cookies 'N' Creme Bar
• Hershey's Air Delight
• Hershey's Milk Chocolate Drops
• Hershey's Miniatures
• Hershey's Nuggets
• Mr. Goodbar
• Symphony Bar
• Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate

Hershey's says it will list any ingredients containing wheat, barley, rye, oats and malt on the label, and also will disclose shared equipment or shared facilities on the label. Hershey's gluten-free list includes baking chips and bars, cocoa products and syrup; you can access the list here.

Contact Hershey's at 800-468-1714 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 800-468-1714 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Wrigley

Wrigley makes chewing gum and other candy products (for more on gluten-free gum, see the link above). According to the company, "all U.S. Wrigley chewing gum and confection products have been assessed to be gluten-free with the exception of the products listed below, which contain ingredient(s) derived from wheat or are made on shared equipment that also processes products with wheat and may contain trace amounts of gluten." Here's the list of Wrigley products that do contain gluten:

• Altoids Chocolate Dipped Mints (made on equipment that also processes wheat)
• Altoids Smalls Peppermint Mints (contains wheat maltodextrin)
• Hubba Bubba Gummi Tape Candy (contains wheat flour and wheat fiber)
• Lucas and Swinkles Branded Candy Strips (contains wheat flour and wheat fiber)

Note that Wrigley makes Creme Savers, Lifesavers, Skittles and Starburst, which in the U.S. are free of any gluten sources, according to the company.
Contact Wrigley at (800) 974-4539 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (800) 974-4539 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Jelly Belly

Jelly Belly makes jelly beans in an ever-expanding array of colors and flavors. According to the company, "all Jelly Belly beans are gluten-free, dairy-free, gelatin-free, vegetarian and OU Kosher." This includes licorice-flavored gluten-free Jelly Belly jelly beans (in most cases, licorice candy contains wheat).
However, other Jelly Belly candies, including Chocolate Malt Balls, Chocolate Bridge Mix, Licorice Bridge Mix, Black Licorice Buttons and Licorice Pastels, are NOT gluten-free. In addition, seasonal mixes sold around the holidays contain the malt balls, and so are not gluten-free.
Contact Jelly Belly at 800-522-3267 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 800-522-3267 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Necco

Necco probably is best known for its small sugar Valentine heart candies – the pastel-colored ones that say "Be Mine" and "True Love" – but my daughter's candy stash often turns up a few Necco products every Halloween, as well.

According to Necco, the following products do not contain gluten from wheat, rye, oats or barley:
• Necco Wafers
• Necco Chocolate Wafers
• Candy House Candy Buttons
• Canada Mint, Wintergreen and Spearmint Lozenges
• Mary Jane
• Mary Jane Peanutbutter Kisses (available for Halloween only)
• Banana Splits Chews
• Mint Julep Chews
• Haviland Thin Mints, Wintergreen Patty, Nonpareils and Chocolate Stars
• Skybar
• Sweethearts Conversation Hearts (available for Valentine's Day only)

Contact Necco at 781-485-4800 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 781-485-4800 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Just Born

Peeps marshmallow treats, made by Just Born, used to appear only at Easter, but in recent years we've seen Halloween Peeps shaped like pumpkins and ghosts, Christmas Peeps in the shape of trees, and heart-shaped Peeps for Valentine's Day.

According to Just Born, as of October 2012 all the company's marshmallow candies that are safe from cross-contamination will state "gluten-free" on the package by the ingredients listing. The modified food starch used in the products is corn starch, according to the company. Just Born also makes Mike and Ike Candies.

According to Just Born, the following candies are gluten-free:
• Mike and Ike Berry Blast
• Mike and Ike Italian Ice
• Mike and Ike Jolly Joes
• Mike and Ike Lemonade Blends
• Mike and Ike Original Fruits
• Mike and Ike Redrageous
• Mike and Ike Tangy Twister
• Mike and Ike Tropical Typhoon
• Mike and Ike Zours
• Mike and Ike Jelly Beans
• Mike and Ike Hot Tamales
• Goldenberg's Vintage Peanut Chews

Introduction to Shopping on Etsy

My brother has an awesome youtube channel and recently made a video to give you an introduction to Etsy.  Shopping on Etsy can be confusing when you're just getting to know it, but just like Pinterest, I bet you'll be hooked in no time. 

Etsy's New Gift Cards

Just in time for the upcoming holidays, Etsy has released their brand new gift cards!  You can choose to print the card or deliver via email.  Crooked By Design is now accepting them, too.

In an effort to save money and reduce stress this holiday season, I've started my shopping (and making of Christmas gifts) really early this year.  Etsy has been a great place for finding those unique gifts you won't find at the store.  You can look by category depending on who you are shopping for and browse.  Best of all, you give a unique (often handmade) gift, and you support a small business. 

Here's the link for Etsy Gift Cards
 

Easy Roast Chicken

This year on our annual Pumpkin Carving Day, I decided to go all out and make a delicious harvest meal.  For just $20, I made made a meal for 6 (with lots of leftovers) of roast chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and roasted butternut squash. 

Here's how to make a perfect roast chicken:
I used a 7 pound one from Hannaford and went by their instructions for cooking.  It was 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes per pound.  I cheated and just waited for the popper to pop.  Makes things much easier (who has the time to clock watch?).

Start by rinsing the chicken and sticking your hand in to remove that nasty bag of...extras.  I toss it, but you can feel free to use it.  Be sure to rinse inside, between the wings and all over.  Next, stuff it with things that will make it full of flavor.  I'm gluten free, so I don't use traditional stuffing of bread.  I threw in a cut up orange (skin on), 2 onions (quartered) and a hand full of frozen cranberries, to go with my harvest theme.

 

Next, melt a few tablespoons of butter and add some herbs to it.  I used basil, rosemary and thyme.  Give it a good stir and, using a cooking brush, paint it onto your chicken.  Add some to the inside too.

 

 

Now, it's ready for the oven!  Cover loosely with tinfoil and put it in the preheated oven.  After about an hour, remove foil, and brush some of the liquid from the bottom of the baking dish onto the chicken.  Do this a few times throughout the cooking process.  When it's finished, the popper will pop.

 

The final result:

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART:  Let it "rest" before carving, that way the juices really get in their and it gets extra flavorful and moist.  A 10-15 minute nap is sufficient. 

 

 

 

 

New Earwarmer Headbands!

Now that the cold weather is coming to get us, I've been making all sorts of earwarmer headbands to keep warm.  So far, I've tried 3 styles in sizes for baby-women's.  Here's some of them:

   Women's sizes

 Kid's
  Baby

As of now, I don't have the patterns available for purchase, but I might soon so stay tuned.  Check out my Etsy Shop for sizing details and to purchase an earwarmer. 

Like what you see?  Be sure to check out the new Crooked By Design Facebook fan page for sales, new listings, special deals and other exciting stuff!

Crooked By Design Now on Facebook!

My Etsy shop, Crooked By Design is now on facebook!  Be sure to check out the page and "like" it for sneak peaks on things I'm working on, new listings, promos and more.  Thanks for all the support!

www.facebook.com/crookedbydesign

As a special thank you...

I opened my Etsy shop, Crooked By Design at the tail end of May this year, and I'm currently just shy of the 50 orders mark!  I can't express how excited and thankful I am about this, after hours upon hours of hard work with my hooks, needles and sewing machine.  As a special thank you, the person who places order #50 gets a FREE SURPRISE in their order.  Perhaps you'll be the lucky recipient? 

To keep up to date on this blog and my shop be sure to follow me on Twitter!  @KnaptimeKnitter 

New Discoveries About Diaper Changing (dun dun dun)

My son has always hated getting his diaper changed.  When he was a wee little newborn (well, if you consider nearly 9 pounds wee and little) he hated being wet in his diaper.  He also hated being changed/cold.  Pretty much safe to assume he hated everything diaper related.  Now, as a mature 2 year old, his hatred of diaper changing has only increased.

We're starting to potty train, which theoretically should work to my advantage.  Kid hates diapers, kid discovers potty and BOOM!  Miracle.  N.O.P.E.  No way.  He's not very excited about the potty either.  Sure, he uses it, a few times a day while eating a cookie, but we're not potty trained yet. 

So here's out it goes (about 50 times a day):
Step 1: My son yells "POOPIEEEEE."  I ask if he's gone poopie.  He says, no.  My nose senses he has in fact gone poopie.
Step 2: He sees me reach for the diaper.  "NOOOOOOO."  I say, "YESSSSS." And attempt to pin him to the ground while distracting him with songs and other tactics.  He's on to me.  He knows what's coming.
Step 3: I give him the very important job of holding the sacred clean diaper and swiftly clean up the mess (that he denied having done). 
Step 4: He runs away.  I rejoice that its over.

What have I learned from this?  Toddlers are harder to change than newborns, and newborns may be easier than toddlers.  He's lucky he's so cute.

Be Green, Help a Horse

A friend of mine has a wonderful Etsy shop featuring heavy duty upcycled reusable shopping bags.  With each purchase, not only do you get an awesome bag (my favorites are the horse ones) but a portion of the proceeds goes directly to a local horse rescue.  The bags are very well made and are perfect for your large grocery trips.  Would make great gifts for the holidays that are right around the corner!

Visit the shop Here and check them out!

Gluten-Free Pizza for the Whole Family-On a Budget

I love pizza.  I mean LOVE it.  When I went gluten-free in 2007, one of the things I missed the most was nice, greasy pizza house pizza (specifically from the York House of Pizza in York, Maine).  I shed tears over the notion of never having it again.  And for those of you who have tried the frozen gluten-free pizzas, you probably found the same results I did: not worth the money.  One way I make it now, after much trial and error, is using the Gluten-Free Bisquick recipe you can find on the box.  Of course, as I tend to do with everything, I change it up a bit.  The result is a yummy pizza that tastes a lot like normal gluten-filled homemade pies. 
Here's what to do:
Pick up some of this  for about $4.99 at the grocery store.  Pretty steep, but you can use coupons to save a little.  Follow the recipe found on the side of the box for pizza.  This box should make 2 pizzas, which is a lot cheaper than the upwards of $12 you can spend on one small one in the freezer section. 

I use a round pan to make myself feel like I'm eating real pizza.  Be sure to spray the pan.  I will admit, spreading this onto a pan is a bit of a challenge, but worth it.  The trick I use is to continuously wet your fingers with cold water and spread it with them.  Don't worry if there are small holes. 

The last thing I do a little different, is to add a little oil to the top after adding the cheese and toppings.  It gives it that slightly greasier taste I craved from the inability to eat real pizza. 

The results:

Roasted Chick Peas

A few weeks ago I bought a couple cans of chick peas.  I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with them, but I wanted to do something.  I started to research roasting them, and after my first handful, I couldn't understand why I hadn't done this sooner.  They were delicious!  Oddly enough, my two year old was obsessed with them which is great because they're a healthy treat.  They have iron too, which I'm terribly in need of, so that's an added bonus.  I used a recipe I found on this blog but made a couple changes to cater to my family's taste buds.

Here's what you need:
1 can of chick peas (15 oz)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt (add more to taste, if you prefer more salt like I do)
1/8 tsp chili pepper
1/8 tsp paprika

What to do:
Drain and rinse the chick peas and combine all the ingredients in a bowl.  Mix them well to coat the chick peas.  Spray some oil (Pam, or whatever kind you have) on a baking sheet and spread the chick peas on it.  Put them into the preheated 400 degree oven for about a half hour, adding a little more time if you prefer them crunchy.  Be sure to turn them a couple times.  Enjoy!