I will just bring plates and cups plus a lot of labels. (My energy level has not been the greatest; I will find out tomorrow whether or not there is a medical cause.)

I'm doing my Costco run on Wednesday, is there anything else we need? Just want to double-check. I'm presuming there will be grill equipment on site? If not, then my alternate food to bring is -- cooked rotisserie chicken & rolls. Let me know. Jette

You can (sorta) "create" low-lactose several ways.... #1. Our adult son and now our granddaughter are both lactose intolerant and have used a low-lactose whey-based milk substitute called Morning Moo's (www.moosmilk.com) for many years. I make homemade pudding mixes with it, use it as a substitute for evaporated milk by making it "double" strength. I use the dry powder in mashed potatoes for really extra fluffy mashed potatoes. I add the powder to potatoes boiled in a small amount of water to make potato soup. I make flavored cocoa mixes using the dry powder and flavored non-dairy creamer powders, but it also comes in a chocolate flavor. This particular whey-based milk substitute has the best flavor of these types of whey-based products - nearly like milk. It's inexpensive per gallon when you purchase it in large bulk quantities (24.25# bucket - or larger). Our son (almost 31) has used a whey-based milk substitute "milk" since he was 4 years old on the advise of a pediatrition. Yes, there is some lactose, but most people who are lactose intolerant can consume low levels of lactose without any problems. #2. Another point to know... There is a percentage of lactose in dairy products (see link below). As a general rule of thumb, the higher the fat content the lower the lactose. The longer a cheese has aged, the lower the lactose. That's why most people who are lactose intolerant don't have any problems with consumption (in low to moderate amounts) of things like butter (0.8-1.0%) or cream. There's very little lactose in it. #3. Fermentation also alters the lactose. I make homemade kefir (using almost any kind of milk), and it reduces the lactose to a very low, very digestible, level. I use homemade kefir as a substitute for buttermilk and use it in our smoothies everyday (along with some kind of 100% fruit juice - 50/50 and other additions like flax meal, etc.). The longer you ferment the kefir, the thicker the curd gets. You can drain the thick curd like you would yogurt for yogurt cheese, and depending on how long it drains, I use it as a substitute for plain yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, and even a cottage cheese type product. Do a Google search for - Dom's Kefir Insite - for more information about kefir. #4. Keep Coffee-Mate Single-Serve Portions (the size used for individual use in coffee/tea) on hand (I can get a box of 50 at Wal-Mart). They are lactose FREE and don't require refrigeration. Perfect for adding to oatmeal - as I found out during a recent ice storm when we were without electricity for an extended period of time. I could make instant oatmeal with water heated on our camp stove, and added the liquid from 2-3 creamers to the oatmeal. You can also mix the powdered non-dairy creamers with water and make "milk" for topping your morning cereal. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: Lactose Percentages of Foods

The following is from Mary Frances PickettÂs website http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com She has Q&A section about baking gluten free bread on her blog at that you might find helpful (e.g., get more rise by beating dough mixture for a few minutes with the paddle before adding it to the bread machine); read more at: http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/archives/gluten-free-bread-tips Really Good Sandwich Bread 1 Tbsp. active dry yeast 1 Tbsp. sugar 1 ½ c. water (105 degrees or a little less than hot) 2 ½ cups "Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Mix Recipe" (see below) 2 tsp. xanthan gum 1tsp. salt 2 eggs (or 6 Tbsp. water and 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed) 1 ½ Tbsp. oil 1 tsp. cider vinegar 1. Start by combining the yeast and sugar in a small bowl (I use the smallest in my set of three nested mixing bowls). Add the water while gently stirring the yeast and sugar. Let this mixture sit while you mix the rest of the ingredients - bubbles and foam should form if the yeast is happy. 2. Combine the flour mix, xanthan gum and salt in the largest mixing bowl and stir well. 3. In a third bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and vinegar until the eggs are a bit frothy. 4. By this point the yeast mixture should be foamy, so you can pour the two liquid mixtures into the flour mixture. Stir until all ingredients are well mixed and then dump into your bread machine. Cook on the 80 minute setting  the stirring paddle is not necessary. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Mix (Note: this mix can be used for a variety of baked goods and things like pancakes as well) 3 parts brown rice flour (I use BobÂs Red Mill) 3 parts corn starch 2 parts soy flour 1 part masa harina