dancing in the kitchen

We love you people.

I'm not kidding. Danny and I talk all the time about comments we receive, questions about recipes, confusions about steps (especially when I leave out xanthan gum) and sweet emails that pour in. (I wish, these days, I had the time to answer all of them.)

Writing this site — cooking, creating, jotting down notes, taking photographs, and hitting publish — has changed our lives. Hell, it has made our life together what it is. And we love our life.

This past week has been a buzzing blur of comments and praises from people who have already received a copy of our cookbook. (The official publication date isn't until September 28th!) Folks, you have floored us. Being able to see your excitement on Twitter, your kind words on Facebook, and your incredibly moving emails this past week has been tremendous.

I'm telling you this honestly: we already feel like this cookbook is a huge success. At least for us. After three years of working on this idea that has turned into a book in your kitchen, we are ready to let go of it. It's yours.

And oh, how some of you have already made it yours. You are cooking from it. You're making meals for your family that surprise you all with the ease of preparation and the taste at the table. Some of you have already made 6 and 7 dishes!

We are so humbled and happy by this.

You may notice that I don't have a photograph on this post. It may be the first time in 5 years. It's not just that it's 12:46 am as I type this, after an entire day of reading beautiful blog posts. It's that I want you to see other people's photographs, photographs of the food created from recipes in our cookbook.



If you remember, a few weeks ago, we asked you if you wanted a few recipes from the cookbook, early. Those of you who took us up on it cooked seared shrimp with garlic almond sauce, fresh pasta with a sauce of anchovies, olives, and lemons, and peanut butter brownies.

We are thrilled to report that everyone loved these. Everyone had successes.

Mostly, what makes me and Danny happy is the numbers of times some of you wrote that you felt intimidated at first and walked away from the table feeling proud. That's what we want. We want you to cook.

Now, go over and rea And if you can read three of these posts and not be hungry, I think you might want to get that checked out.

And click on each link to find a blog that might be new to you. This is an incredible community. Let's keep talking and listening to each other.

It's such a privilege to release a cookbook in this time. Now, we can see instant reactions and hear of your successes (and questions). We can see the food we created in your kitchens.Seriously, we couldn't be any happier if we tried.

Thank you.

Heidi of Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom (who is doing a huge giveaway too!) wrote: "You’ve gotta get this cookbook! Not only is the food fantastic, but this cookbook is the type I have been wanting my entire cooking life…one that teaches you how to cook. Almost all of the recipes come with Suggestions and Variations....so if you have other dietary restrictions, do not let that prevent you from ordering this cookbook."

Tara of A Baking Life wrote about making the gluten-free pasta (4 times in one week!): "I made more pasta, and brought it with me to Josh's restaurant for dinner with the in-laws. He topped half with a spicy seafood arrabbiata sauce, and the rest was tossed with beurre blanc and olives and Parmigiano-Reggiano. We ended up eating in a back room, with bad lighting, where the kids could be rambunctious. Still, I thought the pasta was wonderful. But an even better compliment? Josh loved it, which is saying something, coming from a man with impossibly high standards and the history of his own fresh pasta behind him."

Jenn of The Whole Kitchen wrote: "If you’re looking to impress your guests and minimize your time in the kitchen, look no further than this simple dish. Huge, grilled gulf shrimp are always a winner, if you ask me. Drizzle a decant sauce of garlic, olive oil and marcona almonds overtop and you’ve got something really special on your table."

Sarah Ann from Celiac in the City wrote: "This book is for gluten free friends and those who can handle their gluten too. It’s for people who love food, who don’t miss an opportunity to dance in the kitchen together. For those who want “joy in the belly.” It’s a love story. With food. My kind of book."

Tia of Glugle Gluten-Free wrote: "Have you ever had real, homemade pasta? I mean fresh, just-gone-through-the-pasta-maker pasta? Dried, in-a-bag-or-box pasta is not even on the same planet as fresh, homemade pasta. And, the gluten-free recipe they give you in their cookbook is… (I’m running out of adjectives, here.) Oh my God, it’s so good."

Kim of Simple Ginger (who takes absolutely gorgeous photographs) wrote: "The seared shrimp with garlic-almond sauce was another example of exactly what I expected out of this book. No need for gluten free flour substitutions here, which I love. Perfectly simple, but incredible, delicious and elegant. This shrimp dish will serve as an appetizer to wow guests over and over again."

Carrie of Ginger Lemon Girl had a cooking party with newly gluten-free friends: "The best part of the whole evening for me was having everybody pitch in to make pasta. Families often love each other through cooking. Shauna & Danny's cookbook is one such story of loving each other through food. Making Shauna's pasta was a great way to bring everybody together to learn a new skill. Thoughts of future "gluten free pasta making parties" warms my heart!"

Winnie of Healthy Green Kitchen wrote: "I also made these Seared Shrimp with Garlic Almond Sauce. They’re so elegant…yet so simple to make. This is elevated home cooking folks…something you’d happily eat in a restaurant, but that you can have at home with no fuss, in less than 10 minutes. This is my kind of recipe."

Taylor of Fields of Green (who just had a baby!) wrote: "Thankfully, these brownies took under a half-hour to cook. The smell was wonderful wafting through our house. When I bit in after they finally cooled, I melted. My words to my hubby? "Honey, you're gonna wig out. Totally wig out." Chocolate and peanut butter is his favorite combo, after all."

Heather from The Cowgirl Gourmet wrote: "We all praised the fact that the texture was just right, the flavor combination perfect and that the brownies were neither overly rich nor too sweet. I mean, if you want, you could probably eat two brownies in one sitting. And that's a good thing."

Carolyn from Foodie in Miami wrote: "This shrimp dish was great and the garlic-almond sauce is going to make it into the growing rotation of sauces-to-be-tossed-with-dinner. Right alongside Italian Salsa Verde from Bon Appetit, green pesto, red pesto and chimichurri."

Justin from Just Cook NYC (who happens to be our book editor) wrote: "Then came the eating, and there was a lot of that. I guess I'm biased because I absolutely adore peanut butter and chocolate together, but these were amazing. I seriously don't think anyone would even know they were gluten-free unless I told them. And honestly, I've had a lot of gluten-free treats in bakeries, and I'd trade them all for a pan of these."

Lisa of Gluten vs The Foodie wrote: "...this pasta hits all the right notes. It’s like a puttanesca, but with a stylish makeover, shedding all it’s worn out tomato ‘baggage’ and trading it in for a fresher, brighter, more refined attitude. In case you didn’t know, Pasta Puttanesca literally translates to “whore’s spaghetti.” This pasta dish, on the other hand, wouldn’t even kiss on the first date. She’s super classy."

Jenn of The Cinnamon Quill wrote: "First, seared shrimp tofu with garlic almond sauce…So, I’ve made this twice in one week, it is basically the richest, most flavorful sauce you can imagine, filled with the healthiest fats from olive oil and marcona almonds."

Amanda of Feed Me Gluten-Free wrote: "The fresh pasta was amazingly easy and probably the best gluten free pasta I've ever eaten. I wish I had made more than one batch, so we could have some for later. The "sauce" we had over the fresh pasta consisted of anchovies, lemon, and olives just like the title said. It was really good even if it had ingredients we've never used before. The anchovies melted away and there were no traces of little fishy bits like I thought there would be."

Johnna of 52 Sweets wrote: " I think you should own this cookbook, whether you eat gluten-free or not, just for this recipe! I shared the brownies with friends who do not eat gluten-free and they enjoyed them immensely. Driving the brownies across town to their house was one of the most difficult sweet deliveries I have made this year. Every stoplight provided opportunity for me to pull back the foil and gaze at these brownies. Maybe I could have just one more..."

Joanna of Green Acres wrote about the shrimp with garlic-almond sauce: "Amazing. Truly. I told my daughter, who was my dinner companion this evening, that I wish this had been the meal at my wedding."

Abbie from Organizing Life wrote: "Though a bit tricky to prepare, with some flours you may have to look up, the results are worth the effort. For someone who is gluten-free for life, these truly delicious recipes open a new door to novel culinary exploration and a very satisfied tummy."

Gwynne of Look What I Made You wrote: "The pasta, I'll admit, I thought would be a harder sell. Pasta with anchovies, lemon, and olives sounds relatively innocuous, but I'm rather anchovy-averse. In the spirit of trying things out, though, I made this. Somewhere along the line, my thoughts on anchovies were entirely revamped. The anchovy, lemon, and olive had bright, happy, zesty flavor that combined so well and made such an impression. This pasta convinced me that anchovies deserve a second look."

Anne from Anne's Food wrote: "I stuck with this simple dish that only had a few ingredients: shrimp, salt, pepper, garlic, almonds and olive oil. Yes, really, that's it! ...this was a highly successful little appetizer."

Janet from Life and Photography wrote: "What I liked first and foremost about this recipe is that most of the ingredients are easy to find. I only had to go to my gluten-free store for three items. Then I started the actual process of making the batter, and it turned out to be easier than I expected!"

Heather of Mama Unfurling wrote: "The pasta was amazingly easy to make, even without a pasta roller or other potentially useful pasta-making tools. I used parchment paper, an empty water bottle and a sharp knife to cut the pasta, and it worked like a charm."

Chelsea of Blackberry Eating in Late September wrote: "The crumb was rich and moist, the pockets of peanut butter were sticky bombs of candy-like delight. I couldn’t even get a photo in before the hordes descended on the pan. Seven people decimated ¾ of the pan in ten minutes. Almost everyone went back for seconds."

Cielo of Gluten-Free Santa Barbara wrote: "The noodles themselves cooked up in under 5 minutes (and floated up to the top like any fresh pasta should when it's done) and were perfectly chewy and made me swoon. I'm not kidding. Going 7 years without fresh pasta will do that to you. Even my non-gf husband was floored. This recipe is a winner."

Kim from Prairie Mama wrote: "I made seared shrimp and chicken skewers with garlic almond sauce. Oh my gosh. Let me just say this was AMAZING. My brother-in-law, who had no idea that the Gluten Free Girl is married to a Chef, said, 'This meal tastes like it belongs in a restaurant. It is amazing!'"

Margie of The Perfect Pastry wrote: "This sauce was mind-blowing—the wine was subtle, the lemon was bright and fresh but not overpowering. I would dip bread in it, mix it with breadcrumbs to stuff artichokes or tomatoes, toss it with blanched green beans (oh, that sounds good!) ... or just eat it with mounds of freshly made fettuccine."

Emma of My Darling Lemon Thyme wrote: "With a book like this there will be no more standing at the fridge staring blankly wondering what you can eat, only to close it again hungry and empty handed."

Heather of Adventures wrote: "I have to be honest and say that dessert was my favorite, but I have a weakness for sweets. These fabulous chocolate peanut butter brownies were complete with some vanilla ice cream and hot fudge – the whole pan disappeared!"

Aron the Hippie Chef of Boomer Cuisine wrote: "The shrimp were divine and the almond sauce so rich and unctuous it was plate licking good."

Christina of The California Dish wrote: "I probably would have tried to cut corners by using a less expensive almond instead of the Marcona, salt slicked, almonds that they recommend which set me back $6.11 for one cup. But the Chef anticipated this and urged me not to. When people really understand food and ingredients they’re honest with you about which you can skimp on and which are necessities. I felt confident following his advice."

Karissa of Gluten-Free, Frugally wrote: "These. Are. Amazing. Hard to go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter, but if I didn’t know they were GF I would never have guessed. In fact they are the best brownies I have ever had. They were rich and gooey, and the peanut butter made a pretty ribbon and tasted delicious too."

Campbell of Can I Help with Dinner wrote about the garlic almond sauce: "The blend of fresh garlic, the toasted almonds along with the simplicity of the shrimp deliver an extremely subtle blend that had my 16 year old and I diving into the sauce time and time again."

Julie of Fravelicious wrote: "These are a flavorful, rich, cake-like brownie, with peanut butter marbled into the batter. I also served these for dessert for some friends, and they didn’t suspect they were gluten-free in the least. That is really how I like to test gluten free recipes and dessert. I don’t want my gluten-intolerant friends and relatives to have to “settle” for a sub-par sweet. If people with and without celiac disease can enjoy a treat, then it gets two thumbs up in my book!"

Joy from Gourmeted wrote: "Clearly, as someone who can choose not to be on any special diet, I was the one missing out! These are insanely good. Will you forgive me if I keep baking GF brownies like this for a while?"

Stephanie from Dollop of Cream wrote: "Anchovies are a revelation to me. They melt away into the sauce and just leave all the right sunny, briny Mediterranean notes. Not to mention: I made this gluten-free pasta. I am still in shock. It has a nice, al dente bite and is very easy to work with. Not a sticky noodle in the bunch. Perfect to slip and slide around in the sauce."

Marcella at Short Attention Span Girl wrote: "Chocolate. Peanut butter. Happiness!"

Kris from Kris InSight wrote: "The delicate almond sauce was the perfect match of garlic and almonds and best of all it was totally gluten free and tasted great with everything on the plate. My husband who does not eat a gluten free diet ate his supper with enthusiasm and declared it 'the best shrimp I’ve had in a long time.'”

Belinda of Stoere Moeder wrote: "De recepten in het boek zijn heel eenvoudig en de foto's erbij zien er heerlijk uit. Ik ben dan ook heel benieuwd naar het boek dat ik via Amazon heb besteld en dat NU onderweg naar me is."

Sonya at Eat+Art+Word wrote: "Sifting, separating, mixing + mixing, rolling, cutting, rolling, cutting – the process of making pasta seems to me much like that of embroidery or knitting, with each tiny action adding up to make a much larger whole."

Kendra of All and Nothing wrote: "...one of the great things about this meal. Sure, it came from recipes created by a chef, but all the ingredients came from either my mother-in-law's garden or the local supermarket. And they grocery shop in a town with maybe 5,000 people in it. None of the ingredients were so fancy or specialized that we couldn't replicate them."

Sarah of Life is Still Sweet wrote: "This book is so full of love of food, love for each other, and love of life, that it is hard to put down. The recipes radiate of this dedication to feed each other and all who come to their table hungry. Whether it be hungry for a good story, or a nice juicy pork belly, the Gluten Free Girl and the Chef are happy to fill you up."

Jessica of Baking Tartine wrote: "I'm usually not a huge cookbook person because I consider myself a good cook that can think up great flavor combos on my own, but Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef have already gotten me to try new things that I never would have done on my own...and that's with only 3 recipes. This book must be mine!"

We certainly hope that you now feel the same.

p.s. We are also tremendously grateful to Diane at The Whole Gang for her extensive, enthusiastic review of our book (look for her reaction to Danny's meatloaf recipe) and Wendy from Celiacs in the House, who talked about getting over her first intimidation of some of these recipes and got into the kitchen to cook.