Babycakes NYC

After exactly 365 day of posting my 1st blog...I visited the mecca of gluten-free baked goods. The fiance and I flew into Newark for his brother's wedding last month, and decided to stop in NYC for a few culinary pit stops. On our trip, we stopped at Katz's Deli, L&B Spumoni Gardens (in Brooklyn) and the reason for this post...Babycakes NYC.

I heard about Babycakes pretty early on in my gluten-free days. Babycakes is a bakery that offers different kinds of baked goods for whatever your specific allergy/food choices are...they have refined sugar-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free, casein-free, egg-free, vegan and kosher items. I've followed them on twitter, I've bought their book, and I've watched their YouTube clips...pretty much I consider them celebrities.

If it's not obvious by the above, I was over the moon when the Fiance said that we would have time to pop into NYC for the good part of the day before heading off to Pennsylvania for the wedding. If my permanent smile from ear to ear wasn't enough...I had the Fiance take pictures of me in front of the storefront before even entering. My adult version of Disney World.

Once inside, to be honest, I was shocked at how small it was! I should have known, I mean it's NYC. We're not in Kansas anymore and space is tight. We were greeted by very 50's style employees...all very pink and cute; I loved it. The selection was pretty large, but was all crammed in a tiny display. I'm sure the new LA store is quite different, however all of this gave it it's NYC charm...very kitchy and cool.

Alas, I ordered a bunch of gluten-free items. I'll break down my thoughts:

Chocolate Chip Cookie: Chewy, tasty, thin, and very good. (not quite a Tate's cookie though)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich: Whoa!!!!! Genius. Putting frosting in the middle of 2 cookies?!? Amazing.

Cinnamon & Sugar Toasties: Awesome. After slaving for 5 hours to make my own...this is a way better option. Very soft, dense, flavorful, and delicious.

Carrot Cake Topper w/ Frosting: Wow. I mean, I almost died upon contact. The best carrot cake I've ever had in combination with the best cream cheese frosting I've ever had. To. Die. For.

Vanilla Cupcake: Completely bummed. This is their flagship item. My disappointment however may be due to the absence of dairy, egg and refined sugar.

Although my reviews are mixed, I still have more gluten-free options to dive into. I can't stop thinking about the carrot cake, cinnamon toastie and cookie sandwich. I still think that they are gods in the gluten-free world. I bow down to you Babycakes NYC...and thank you.

Flemming's Steakhouse Mac & Cheese (Gluten-free)

On a recent trip to Omaha for a friends wedding, we stopped at a Flemming's Steakhouse for a quick drink in between the ceremony and rehearsal. While there, the fiance ordered up some Mac & Cheese to fend off his hunger for a few more hours until dinner is served. He shared that it is one of the best Mac & Cheese dishes he's had and always orders it when dining there. I was definitely intrigued...I'm pretty much always intrigued whenever anyone says the "best of" of anything.

I thought it would be neat to try to recreate this dish at home, gluten-free, so that I could indulge as well. I had no problem finding the recipe online, and with a few very easy substitutions I was on my way to making gluten-free Flemming's Mac.

Ingredients: (Gluten-free substitutions)
1 lb pasta (Bionaturae)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup onion, 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill)
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon white pepper (ground)
3/4 lb smoked cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried chipotle powder (chipotle chili powder)
3/4 cup breadcrumbs (Schar)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large pot, bring 1 gallon of water to boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and pasta and cook for 8 - 9 minutes. 3. Drain pasta and cool under cold running water. Pasta should be slightly firm. Toss drained pasta in oil and reserve.
4. Melt butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 4 - 5 minute.
5. Add flour and cook 1 - 2 minute but do not brown. Add cream, half and half, kosher salt and white pepper. Bring pot to a simmer. Cook until sauce is thick, about 5 - 6 minute.
6. Blend cheese into sauce and add cooked pasta.
7. Pour pasta and sauce into a 9 x 12" baking dish. Reserve.
8. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add oil and chipotle chili powder. Heat for 30 seconds, until pan starts to smoke. Remove from stove and stir in bread crumbs.
9. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the pasta and bake for 15 - 20 minute until golden. Cool slightly before serving.

Although the smokey cheese and chipotle are typically not up my alley, the dish was very rich and delicious. The fiance had at least 2 bowls...so I will consider it a success.