Get to know you Monday--Susan Bell

Today, we are getting to know Susan Bell author of

Gluten-Free Cooking Made Easy: Delicious Recipes for Everyone

1. What is your favorite food? Roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy…but I also love Mexican food. Yum!

2. Do you prefer chocolate or vanilla ice cream? How can I resist CHOCOLATE?! Even better, add some peanut butter to it.

3. What is one food you despise? Liver. (Apologies to my mother since I wasn’t easily persuaded to eat it when I was young, even though it was rich in iron.)

4. What was your favorite childhood picture book? Mr. Pine’s Purple House, because Mr. Pine knew that life was too short to have a purple house like everyone else in the entire neighborhood. He broke with tradition and painted his house a different color.

5. What is your favorite song? “Every Season” by Kenneth Cope.

6. What one place would you like to visit that you haven’t? Israel.

7. What is your favorite thing about yourself? The joy I possess within my soul because of service to others.

8. Do you like to sing? Yes! I love to sing alto, but I am taking voice lessons and found out I am a second soprano. I want to expand my horizons and to learn to get the volume out since I have been far too quiet in the past. I hope my teenagers won’t mind when I start “belting it out” during our next family sing-a-long. :)

9. Do you like to dance? Yes! Well…I used to dance before I got so rusty. Now I watch my daughter and reminisce as she performs with a ballroom dance team. However, every once in a while my husband will grab my hands and we will do “the swing.” It just kind of hurts ‘cause we are at middle age and already have aches and pains.

10. Do you play a musical instrument? Yes—I play the piano. Middle age is clearly becoming a theme here, because I am taking piano lessons again. I just have to get that Chopin Fantaisie-Impromptu figured out before the arthritis starts to set in!

11. What was a favorite adulthood event? Besides marrying my awesome husband and having our six children, it has been exciting to finally graduate from college.

12. Do you prefer sweet or salty foods? That is a tough choice, but salty foods win out as long as they are mixed with sour flavor. This might make you pull a face, but I love, love, love green apples with salt, lemons with salt, and rhubarb with salt. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Dill beans and dill pickles are also big favorites.

13. Are you a collector of anything? The very best, most delicious recipes! My family loves the gluten-free recipes in my cookbook, and most of them don’t have celiac disease and can eat a regular diet. Buy my cookbook…you will love it! :)

14. What book are you reading now? To the Rescue, by Heidi S. Swinton

15. What was the best decision you’ve ever made? To marry my incredible husband. He is awesome!


WHY I WRITE
For many years, Susan Bell suffered from stomach problems, but she thought it was just part of life. In 2003, her sister found out that their mother’s celiac disease was genetic, and the mystery of health issues began to be solved with a diagnosis of celiac disease for Susan, her sister, and several other siblings. When Susan got tired of living on tortilla chips, she began converting her favorite recipes into gluten-free recipes. She found that with a great cookbook and a menu plan, family mealtime could be a happy experience, and that her attitude made all the difference in how her children handled their own celiac disease. She and her sister started a support group to help others cope with the disease. Susan enjoys learning from others and can be contacted at gfcookingmadeeasy@gmail.com.

Susan learning how to cook

When I was learning to cook, my Mom was in the other room when I was attempting to make cornbread. I came to a part in the recipe that stated something like, "stir the ingredients in by hand." I left the kitchen and asked my Mom if I really was supposed to stir the ingredients by hand, and she assured me that it would keep the cornbread from having a tough texture. I shrugged and hesitantly went back into the kitchen and stuck my hand right in and started stirring! My Mom came in and started laughing with gusto and grabbed the camera for this photo. She then explained that "stirring by hand" meant to use a spoon instead of a mixer with beaters. Any children and adults who have read Amelia Bedelia stories will understand. :)

Teenage Susan

Wedding Day