Christmas Eve Dinner

My goal for holidays is to make EVERYTHING allergy friendly. Here is our Christmas Eve dinner. By far, I think it's the best allergy friendly holiday meal I have ever made or could ever make. All of it tasted so good. Both boys enjoyed it.

The Menu:

Allergy Friendly Roasted Chicken

(sorry for the horrible angle)Basmati & Wildrice Rice Pilaf

click here for recipe

Maple Squash

click here for recipe

Kale with Roasted Peppers & Olives

click here for recipe

Bananas Foster

(without the Rum)

click here for recipe

Dessert 1: Cinnamon & Sugar Popcorn

click here for recipe

Dessert 2: Cornflake Christmas Wreaths

1 bag (10.5 oz.) mini marshmallows

1/4 cup butter/margarine (non dairy)

4 1/2 cups cornflake cereal

Jumbo red nonpareils (I just used sprinkles)

Light corn syrup

Red sour belts (I skipped these)

1. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick foil or parchment paper. Lightly coat a 1/3-cup measure with nonstick spray.

2. Stir marshmallows and butter in a large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and tint with 5 or 6 drops of food coloring. Gently stir in cornflakes.

3. Scoop 1/3 cupfuls of the mixture and drop into 6 piles on each baking sheet. Let cool 5 minutes. Spray and shape each pile into a wreath, gently compressing the flakes together. Refrigerate until firm.

4. Decorate wreaths with nonpareils or candy balls, attaching them with a dab of corn syrup. Makes 12 wreaths.

Dessert 3: Christmas Ribbon

5 cups boiling water, divided

1 package (8 serving size) or 2 packages (4-serving size) Strawberry Flavor Gelatin

2/3 cup non dairy sour cream or non dairy vanilla yogurt or non dairy plain yogurt

1 package (8 serving size) or 2 packages (4-serving size) Lime Flavor Gelatin

Stir 2 1/2 cups of the boiling water into strawberry flavor gelatin in large bowl 2 minutes or until completely dissolved. Pour 1 1/2 cups into 6-cup ring mold. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set but not firm (should stick to finger when touched and mound). Refrigerate remaining gelatin in bowl until slightly thickened. Gradually stir in 1/3 cup of the sour cream; spoon over gelatin in mold. Refrigerate about 15 minutes or until set but not firm.

Repeat with lime flavor gelatin, remaining 2 1/2 cups boiling water and 1/3 cup sour cream, refrigerating dissolved gelatin before measuring and pouring into mold. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Unmold.

Not only was it all allergy friendly, but it was foods the boys loved! Yay!

Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies

1-¾ cups gluten-free flour mix**
½ to ¾ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter or margarine (cold)
1-½ teaspoon xanthan gum I omitted this because of the banana.
½ cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 egg (cold) I used one overripe banana instead of an egg.
¼ to 3/8 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup gluten-free molasses


Combine the rice flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, xanthan gum, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Mix well. Cut in the butter or margarine until the mixture is in crumbs the size of peas.

In a small bowl beat the sugar, egg, and molasses together. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides. Form the dough into a flat ball shape and refrigerate for one hour.


Dust some freezer paper (not wax paper) with gluten-free flour or confectioners sugar. (I dusted the counter instead.) Put the dough on the freezer paper and sprinkle with flour or confectioners sugar. (I sprinkled the counter.) Roll the dough to ¼ inch thick and cut out shapes as desired. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 20 cookies. (This recipe definitely made more than 20 cookies!)

** gluten-free flour mix: I cut this recipe in half.
6 cups white rice flour
2 cups potato starch (NOT the same as potato flour)
1 cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)


This recipe comes from Vicki Lyles. She adapted it (in desperation) when she learned that our 5-year-old celiacs kindergarten class was going to be making gingerbread man cookies. The resulting cookies were quite good.

Frosting:
2 1/2 cups confectionery sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tarter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
water (start with two tablespoons and then add from there if needed)

This was definitely a fun activity, especially with allergy friendly decorations!

Christmas Festivities

I am so excited to have found so many wonderful Christmas treats, crafts, and activities that the boys can eat, make, and do.

Here's our plans for the month of December!

Christmas Treats

Allergy Friendly Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

Gluten Free Ice Cream Cone Decorated Christmas Trees
Directions: Purchase gluten free ice cream cones. Frost outsides with allergy friendly frosting, colored green. Decorate with allergy friendly sprinkles, candies, etc...

Corn Flake Christmas Wreaths
(I have no idea where I found this recipe, but I did NOT invent it myself.)

1 bag (10.5 oz) mini marshmallows
1/4 cup allergy friendly margarine
Green Food Coloring
4 1/2 cups cornflake cereal
Allergy Friendly Candy
Corn Syrup

1. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick foil or parchment paper. Lightly coat a 1/3-cup measure with nonstick spray.

2. Stir marshmallows and butter in a large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and tint with 5 or 6 drops of food coloring. Gently stir in cornflakes.

3. Scoop 1/3 cupfuls of the mixture and drop into 6 piles on each baking sheet. Let cool 5 minutes. Spray fingers with nonstick cooking spray and shape each pile into a wreath, gently compressing the flakes together. Refrigerate until firm.

4. Decorate wreaths, attaching candy with a dab of corn syrup. Makes 12 wreaths.

Allergy Friendly Gingerbread Cookies with Frosting and Decorations
Recipe found at http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/

Crafts

1. Coloring Christmas Cards

2. Christmas Tree Shapes Craft-found at http://www.dltk-holiday.com/

3. Santa Clause Face Paper Craft-found at http://www.dltk-holiday.com/

4. Pine Cone Ornament-found at http://www.dltk-holiday.com/

5. Winter Windows-found at http://www.fisherprice.com/ under their crafts and activities section.

Activities

1. String Candy on Christmas Tree Countdown Quilt

2. Visit Santa at Bass Pro Shop (free pictures & activities)

3. Christmas Light Drive around town

4. Christmas at Grandpa & Grandma Jackie's house