It's time to put away the Halloween decorations, rake the leaves and do some research and planning. The holidays are approaching full speed now, and I'm cleaning out desk drawers and email folders in anticipation of all the festivities. I'm not quite in a full panic yet, but as the last few leaves fall off the trees, I know that I will be looking at a few months of mayhem both in and out of the kitchen.

Here are some interesting things I have found recently:

1. I was fortunate enough to receive a message from Jessica's Natural Foods notifying me of a great local pruduct that is gluten free. The oats are certified gluten-free and made right here in Birmingham. If your system can tolerate a little gluten-free oats every day, this is the brand to get. I have tried all three varieties, and had to send the bag of Chocolate Chip Granola to work with my husband. They were so good, I couldn't stop eating them! Please see The Great Oat Debate entry for more information on oats and celiac. Find Jessica's at local Hiller's (Plymouth, Commerce Township or West Bloomfield), Plum Market, English Gardens, Celiac Specialties in Novi, Westborn Market in Berkley, G.F. Cucina's or here.

2. We took our picky eater to Paesano in Ann Arbor recently for his birthday. It was a hike, but boy was it worth it! He got a big plate of spaghetti with a meatball on top. They offered to make any of the pasta dishes gluten-free and were trained in cross contamination. They even have dessert (but it was Tirimisu - not suitable for my 6-year-old) and told me that they can make most of the dishes gluten-free, offer appetizers and are willing to go the extra mile to make sure you can get a good meal without gluten. My son did not have any side effects from eating the quinoa pasta with marinara sauce and the smile on his face when he got an actual dish of food was priceless! Word of warning, though: Make a reservation on the weekend. It's packed.

3. Ready for Thanksgiving? I'm getting there. Here is a great list of gluten-free turkeys I found. But also in preparation, I am gathering all my favorite gfcf recipes for my next entry. I hope to make a few to take with me to the family table. For now, here is a yummy pumpkin recipe that may fit the bill:

Pumpkin Cake
1 can (29 ounces) pure pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon each of clove, nutmeg and cinnamon
1 cup milk (Rice Dream or soy)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 box Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Yellow Cake mix
1 cup melted buttery spread (such as Earth Balance or Smart Balance)

Blend pumpkin, spices, sugar, milk, salt and eggs. Pour into a 9-by-13 cake pan. Sprinkle yellow cake mix over the pumpkin mixture. Pour melted butter over cake mix. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour.