Another positive test result

We test milk with our daughter ever couple months or so to see if her reaction to it is gone. Today we hoped that maybe since she is almost 2 that it will have subsided.

We gave her some graham crackers with milk-based icing (1/2 cup powdered sugar to 1 Tbsp milk). Of course, she didn't want to eat them at first, so I had to jazz them up with some sprinkles. We were so optimistic when after the normal five minutes it takes for her to react, there was no reaction. It took about 10 minutes for her lips to get puffy and those little hives to appear. I say that's progress. We gave her 1 tsp of Benadryl and within about 10 minutes the puffiness was about gone. So no milk yet, but maybe soon!

Please follow the advice of your doctor before you do any allergy testing at home. Our daughter's reaction is just hives around the mouth and we know what to expect. Some allergic reactions can cause a child to stop breathing. You don't want to be that situation if you can avoid it.

New Snack idea

I actually haven't tried this on my daughter yet, but I'm almost certain it will be a winner. I came up with this idea while making this Taco Bell-like Mexican Pizza, which by the way was excellent. (I even made a dairy free version using dairy-free cheese!)

Cinnamon Tortilla (there probably is some fancy name out there)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

tortilla shells, as many as you want

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1. Heat oil in 8 inch skillet to 350 degrees.

2.Mix together sugar and cinammon. This will be more than you need for this snack. I keep some in a shaker for future use. Set aside.

3. When oil is hot, dip tortilla shell into the skillet for 20 to 30 seconds. I flip half-way through. The tortilla should crisp up and turn light brown.

4. Take tortilla out of oil and set on paper towel.

5. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixture. Cut into strips or triangles!

Simple Meals

I found that with a toddler with allergies, you can't just open a package of pre-made food and heat it up. So many have milk or egg in them. On top of that I start looking at the fat, sodium and other ingredients that really aren't that good for her. Here are some suggestions for quick and easy meals that don't require a lot of prep work.

• Hamburger Rice Casserole. Take leftover hamburger, add rice and peas. Mix together. Substitute other vegetables or chicken for variation.
• Chicken soup. Take leftover chicken, add chicken stock, carrots, potatoes, celery, onion. Heat to boil then let simmer on stove for 20 minutes. This recipe freezes really well. I use 6 oz baby food jars and it works perfect. I add rice or noodles before serving.
• Beef and/or Vegetable Soup. Take leftover roast or steak, add beef stock, carrots, potatoes, celery and onion. Heat to boil then let simmer for 20 minutes. I freeze these, too.
• Alphabet Spaghetti. A favorite right now!
• Rice and Peppers. Use a 1/4 cup rice and add diced green, red, yellow pepper. Good side dish.

I normally cut up fresh fruit for every meal. Occasional I will give canned fruit or applesauce. I've found that using leftovers is really helpful because she doesn't eat a lot and I can fill the meal in with a variety of meat, rice, couscous, vegetables, etc.