I never realized the power of Amazon. So far, I have ordered my son’s vitamins, ink for my printer, a camera for my husband and cooking supplies for my gluten free collection. I even check for lingerie before I started to write this and yep, they have that too! For the guys or gals like me, they even have tools.

Everything that I have purchased from Amazon (including the other businesses they work with), I have been please on the ease of using the website and receiving my products. Shipping time is always pretty quick.

If you do order from them regularly, they offer Amazon Prime which offers free 2 day shipping or 1 day shipping for only $3.99 per item. You are given a free 2 week trial and the cost is $79 a year.

Some items are even eligible for the Super Saver which gives you free shipping (5-9 days) on eligible purchases over $25.

Do you have a business that sells items that may be perfect to sell on Amazon? Or, perhaps you would be interested in selling things there. I’m not talking used shoes here however, they do sell new and used items and listing is free, minimal costs if your item sells.

Full disclosure: I am an Amazon Associate and a couple of the links are linked to my account, which is only paid if item is purchased. I do however, use and love Amazon.com and my relationship with them does not cost you any more for the item.

For some reason, I am now into cupcakes. They are not only a yummy treat but also portable requiring no utensils and I have more than one shot at being creative with the icing. I recently purchased a new Wilton cupcake set that comes with different tips and bags for decorating. Honestly, I love the cake boss on the Food Network.

I picked up Great Gluten-Free Baking from the library and set off for home. The cupcake choices in this book are  limited and include ones that call for ingredients like Lavender, which funny enough I actually have. Another one  that I am dying to try are the Tiramisu cupcakes. Unfortunately, I did not have the Marscapone cheese or Marsala wine. Later then.

I finally decided on the Victoria Sandwich Cake and simply poured the batter into the cupcake liners instead. The one thing that I liked about the recipe is that it did not call for anything involving beans or potatoes. What I like about gluten free baking is that unlike most regular recipes, all of the ingredients are mixed together at once. With only 7 ingredients, prep time was minimal. The recipe calls for a baking time of 20 minutes. Since they are cupcakes and I used the top part of my oven, I set the timer for 12 minutes. Perfect.

My favorite part of course was the icing. Made from  scratch, I know exactly what’s in it and it’s not hydrogenated or filled with high fructose anything. Meringue powder, powdered sugar, water, extracts of vanilla, butter and almond. I even added some organic  juice for the color.

Just cooled right after baking, they were pretty good. Very little flour was used and that was brown rice flower. The texture and taste was nice and with nothing extreme in the ingredients, the icing or any fillings used (the cake recipe calls for raspberry jam in the middle of the two layers) is the dominant flavor.

The next day, they tasted as if they were made with a corn flour since the taste and texture was like sweet corn bread muffins. Also, the icing lifted right off of the top. I wonder if store bought icing would make a difference?

I have to admit that unless they were to be eaten right away, I am not sure if I will use this particular recipe again since they are only really good that first day.

Victoria Sandwich Cake

3/4 cup butter, 1 1/2 sticks        Mix  ingred, together and bake

3/4 cup sugar                               20 min in a 400degree  oven.

1 cup brown  rice flour                Once cooled, spread jam

3 eggs                                               between layers and dust

1 Tbsp GF baking powder            powdered sugar on top.

few drops  of vanilla extract

1 Tbsp milk

For the filling

4 Tbsp raspberry jam

Powdered sugar to dust

This morning I came up with an idea for breakfast based somewhat off of an idea that I got from a sandwich that my friend likes. Hers of course is a peanut butter, jelly and foie gras. Yes folks, foie gras. I was a bit confused and concerned that I had read it incorrectly myself. After explanation, it’s actually sounds good. Cashew butter with homemade marmalade and foie gras on a toasted brioche.

Mine of course was a bit different.

I looked around for something to eat and found gluten free frozen waffles. Good start. I toasted the waffles, smeared sunflower seed butter on one side and placed sliced banana on the other side. Put the two sides together and cut into bite size pieces. I then sparingly poured flax seed oil and a maple syrup/agave nectar blend syrup on top and enjoyed. Both the sunflower seed butter and the syrup are from Trader Joe’s. I must say that it was quite good and something that I will definitely make again.