Four years ago we went to our allergist for a very simple food challenge and my Cecelia being my Cecelia things were not easy or straight forward. To put it mildly she failed that food challenge and trying another one with her allergies were not recommended. We have learned so much since that episode and because of that we are so proud to say she has not had a single episode of hives or reactions since that day.

This will be a quick post about my first attempt at babkah. Let’s just say it wasn’t a complete fail but it also wasn’t a win either.

With this whole social distancing all I want are comfort foods or foods I grew up loving. One of those desserts is rice pudding. I don’t know about you but there is something so warm and inviting, eating something so rich and creamy.

As we are going into our fifth week of social distancing we are starting to get into a rhythm. We have virtual schooling, messaging and video calling friends, lots of outside time when the weather is favorable. Yet our meals have been mostly normal except our poor Cecelia had a nasty accident on the school playground right before schools were shut down…

“Moist” It’s pretty much a universally hated word. It brings about a visceral reaction in most people that cannot be explained. Do you know what’s worst than the word? Actual moist baked goods…

Man: Does this flavor have nuts in it?

Ice Cream Server: Is there an allergy?

M: Yes.

Yet another interesting quirk about our house has made itself known while the kitchen renovation is underway…

This is a phrase you never want to hear when you are doing any sort of renovation on your house. Since the start of our kitchen project it has been said four times already and it has only been a week!

We are back to the hustle and bustle of summer schedules instead of being pampered in paradise. Now that we are home there are a few things that we can agree that were good, bad or ugly about traveling with allergies and food intolerances.

We are quickly learning that nothing goes smooth when it comes to anything with our house. We should of known that a large project would be derailed at least three times before it even started.

My Cecelia is a social butterfly and loved by her peers. She is invited to many parties and play dates. Most, if not all. Of her friends know she has allergies and let their families know she needs to be safe.

I burnt the first batch horribly. The second batch refused to release from the paper. The third batch was only slightly burnt yet undercooked and foamy. Like how do you get blondies to foam?

We have taken the giant leap, and after scrimping and saving, have decided to renovate our kitchen! 

Found a great recipe with only one cup flour and only one egg! It sounded delicious and was super quick and easy to make. With multiple ingredient swap I decided to go from squares to muffins. This was the beginning of where things went wrong.

This January I decided to take the giant leap and go gluten free for my health. It has been a challenge but it has made an enormous difference. My entire adult life I have had a constant headache.