Graham Crackers

"Anything homemade is always better . . . except for money"

~Ella, age 7

Obviously the perfect birthday gift for that kid is her very own cookbook. Right?  That's what my brilliant sister, Erin, thought, too! (note: she is brilliant in many ways but in this case because the thought came months before the quote.)  So she began looking for the perfect kids cookbook with cute illustrations and easy instructions for things that required little adult assistance.  There are a lot of these books out there but, because of (%$#@) food allergies, none for Ella! 

We are a high maintenance house when it comes to food:  Ella and Jack are both allergic to egg, milk, tree nut and peanut; and Jack is also allergic to sesame, sunflower, and shrimp.  Ava is somehow  only allergic to sunscreen, which is a pain but does not affect meal preparation.

Since Erin's first brilliant idea was thwarted, her second idea was just as brilliant: we shall write our OWN kids cookbook! One with cute illustrations and easy instructions for things that require little adult assistance, AND with recipes that Ella (and Jack) could actually eat! 

Neither of us know how to write a cookbook. And most of my successful, allergy-friendly recipes are not easily accessible or passed on. (Meaning they are on the back of a receipt in my purse, or a notecard in my junk drawer, or scribbled in beside a "regular" recipe or just McGuyver-ed on the fly.)  So a blog seemed a good place to get organized, have people (allergic or not) try out recipes and give feedback. 

GRAHAM CRACKERS

These are a current favorite around here for many reasons: fast, easy, warm, delicious.  I keep thinking we will make s'mores with them but they never last! Why make them when I could buy a whole box for 2 bucks? If you've tried them you would never ask such a silly question.


3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup oat flour (I just grind old-fashioned oats in the blender)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1/4 cup oil (I use canola) 
3 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. honey

• Mix the dry ingredients.  
• Add the wet ingredients.  
• Stir.  Your dough should be about the consistency of play-doh.
• Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (I roll mine on parchment paper then just stick the paper on the sheet - easy to roll and less to clean up). 
• Cut the dough (I use a pizza cutter) into rectangles (or the creative shape of your choice) and if you want, prick them with a fork (I that is just to trick people into thinking you bought them)
• Bake at 350 F for about 10 minutes or until they are a lovely light brown. 
• Let them cool at least long enough so they don't scald your mouth.