Cookie Icing For Egg Allergy, the Royal Icing Substitute

Hard Cookie Icing is almost always made with egg whites, but not with this egg allergy recipe!

I will forewarn you, this hard icing for cookies takes a little practice and is a bit tricky.  You must work very quickly and have all supplies immediately available for this to work.

1 cup of confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons of light corn syrup
4 tablespoons of full fat milk or heavy cream.  Skim milk will not make the icing opaque.

Cook the above ingredients in a very small sauce pan on a medium flame while constantly stirring the ingredients.  Remember, sugar burns very easily.

Pour the ingredients into either a pastry bag or a dessert decorator with a steel or plastic tip. (I use the Wilton brand dessert decorator)

Outline your cookies immediately while icing is hot and then flood the cookie.  If you let get cold it will harden and not come out or stick to the cookies.

This recipe will only decorate 6 large cookies.  Because the icing must be done while hot and reheating can burn, I recommend making small batches of icing rather than making large batches.

New Possible Cause for Peanut, Egg and Other Allergies

Parents, doctors and pharmaceutical companies are always asking, "What causes food allergies".  Now there may just be one more possibility.  There is a strong link between children with low vitamin D levels and food allergies.  At this point, the link is not being called a cause but there is certainly room for suggestion that it may play a role in food allergies. 

While the benefits of Vitamin D are still being discovered, one thing is clear, it certainly couldn't hurt to have your levels of vitamin D checked if you suffer from allergies. If you have low levels of vitamin D in the blood, your doctor can recommend a vitamin regimen that fits your specific needs.

For more information regarding the Vitamin D link and food allergies:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110224103244.htm

Food Allergies And What Makes Potassium Iodide Pills So Dangerous

Many people in California and the rest of the United States are scrambling to find potassium iodide pills to avoid getting sick or dying from radiation caused by the Japanese nuclear power plant meltdowns.  Potassium iodine is being given out in Japan to those who may be in danger of radiation poisoning and radiation sickness.

One of the most dangerous side effects of potassium iodide pills is a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.  People who are allergic to shellfish such as shrimp or other fish such as codfish, may suffer from anaphylatic shock as a result of taking potassium iodide.  While the potassium iodide does not contain shellfish or fish of any kind, both potassium iodide and some seafood contain proteins that are classified as parvalbumins.  It is important to note that not everyone allergic to shellfish will be allergic to potassium iodide.

For more information on Potassium Iodide, visit the CDC website at: http://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/ki.asp

Note: Potassium Iodide also goes by its periodic table name, KI .

Winter Snowball Cupcakes with Egg Free Marshmallow Icing

Children love making cupcakes and these winter snowball cupcakes with marshmallow icing and coconut are sure to be a hit.

Use your favorite vanilla or white cake batter to make cupcakes and allow to completely cool before icing and decorating.  For dirty snowballs, use chocolate cake mix.  Both eggless chocolate cake and vanilla can be found on this webpage.


Directions for Marshmallow Icing:

2 Sticks of Butter
1 tablespoon of vanilla.
 4 cups of confectioners sugar
1/4 cup of milk while mixing
8 Regular Size Marshmallows (be sure to read ingredients, some brands use egg whites)

With a mixer, beat the butter and vanilla together until smooth.  Add confectioners sugar and milk until fluffy.

In microwave, heat large marshmallows in a bowl in microwave for 18 seconds or until they fluff up without burning.  Remove from microwave and add the marshmallows to the sugar mixture in the mixer, mix very well until fluffy.

Directions for Snowball Cupcakes:
Spoon on the marshmallow icing with a thick coat onto the top of each cooled cupcake.
Sprinkle dried coconut flakes onto each cupcake.
Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to stiffen the icing a bit and serve.

Christmas Dinner and the Egg Allergy

When the holidays come around, I can't help but think of my son's egg allergy.  Everyone knows my son is allergic to eggs and peanuts but issues still arise.  Visiting friends and family becomes a little frightening because not everyone's home is peanut safe.  Our house is peanut safe so we never have to worry but friends and family that we don't visit often have no idea what exactly that means.

Our friends and family have nuts out on the table and offer cookies that contains both eggs and nuts.  It gets a little nerve wracking trying to keep all the nuts and eggs away from my children.  (By the way, did I ever mention I am allergic to tree nuts?) 

Friends and family who do not have an egg allergy or nut allergy use the same sponge to clean all their dishes, or use wooden cutting boards to roll out cookie dough or make peanut butter sandwiches.  This can be a very dangerous situation.

Here's how I handle all the Christmas dinners and visits with friends and family with our food allergies including eggs, peanuts and tree nuts.

1. I remind the host of our food allergies.

2. I always call ahead and find out what is being served.  I do not ask them to change the menu, I simply tell them I will bring our own food.  Most often they will change the recipe or the menu to accomodate the main course.  Deserts are always another issue.

3. I tell the host I will bring the desert and I bring a few types of dessert that I know my family can eat and that our friends will enjoy.  Most people do not know many egg free dessert recipes so they are pleasantly surprised with what I show up with.

4. Even though I have called ahead about the menu, I still bring turkey sandwiches or something else I know my family can eat.  Sometimes the host doesn't realize that something they are baking contains eggs.  Eggs are in so many foods and condiments that it is very easy to make a mistake.

5. Bring paper plates and juice boxes or water canteens to avoid cross contamination of eggs, peanuts and tree nuts.

6. Be prepared in case of an emergency.  I bring EpiPens, Benedryl and asthma medications for all of us.

My favorite egg allergy desserts to bring to Christmas parties and dinners are: Cupcakes, Brownies, Sugar Cookies and Chocolate Chip Cookies. 

Best Wishes to You for a Healthy Holiday Season This Year!!!!!

Egg Allergy Halloween Cookie Recipe

Looking for an egg free Halloween cookie?  These are great and are sure to delight everyone.

Cookie Ingredients:
1 Cup Butter (2 Sticks)
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 1/4 Cups Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Preheat Oven to 375F (convection baking) or 390 (conventional oven)

Directions:
Mix Butter and Powered Sugar together until smooth.
Slowly add remaining ingredients with mixer until one large dough ball forms.

Remove and form into two balls.
Roll out the balls into 1/2 inch rounds with a flour dusted rolling pin on floured surface

Cut out with Ghost cookie cutters or other Halloween cookie cutters
Place onto ungreased cookie sheet. 
Bake until edges turn slightly golden (approximately 8 minutes) and remove from heat
Allow to dry on rack

Ice as desired when cookies are completely cooled

The icing recipe can be found by searching "cookies hard icing" on this site.

Banana Oatmeal Cookie Recipe for Egg Allergy

I call these cookies outrageous because when I make a batch of these I have to hide them from myself.  These cookies are egg free and get their moisture from the bananas and olive oil.  If you don't like the taste of bananas you may substitute with 2 tablespoons of apple sauce.  Cooking cookies without eggs usually requires a moisture replacement and pureed fruit works wonderfully.

Ingredients:
1 Cup of Olive Oil

1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup of Sugar
1/2 Very Ripe Banana (Peeled)
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1-2/3 Cups of All-Purpose Flour
3 Cups of Oatmeal (not instant, steel cut or Irish)
1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
1 Pinch of Salt
1 Cup of Chocolate Chips

Directions: 
Preheat the Oven to 350F
With electric mixer, beat: olive oil, banana, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla.
Slowly mix and add flour, oatmeal, cinamon, salt
Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon on to cookie sheet
Bake approximately 10 minutes or until edges get golden brown but be careful not to burn.
Remove cookies from the cookie sheet onto a wire rack for cooling.
Serve cool.

Real New York Buffalo Wings Recipe an Egg Allergy Appetizer

Here in New York, "Buffalo Wings"appetizers are a big hit for any party. This dip and chicken wings do not contain eggs or peanut oil so enjoy!

Buffalo Wing Recipe:

3 Pounds of chicken wings (family size pack)
1 Big kitchen knife (butcher knife, meat cleaver or santoko knife will work best)
Paprika (hot preferred)
1 Bottle of Tabasco sauce or hot pepper sauce (about two cups)
1 Large deep dish baking pan (glass or ceramic pans will be easier to clean and great from oven to table serving)
1 stick of butter

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.

The chicken wing has three parts and two joints. Cut the chicken wings at all three joints. Discard the little tail or tip of the chicken wing (it is not used in this recipe but may be used for making chicken stock or other recipes).

Place the chicken in the baking dish and sprinkle paprika over the chicken. Pour 1/4 cup of hot sauce into the baking dish and toss the chicken to coat the chicken wings lightly.

Put the chicken in the oven and turn the chicken wings when they start to get golden about 30 minutes from the start.

Cook the chicken wings for approximately 1.5-2 hours without letting the chicken burn. Remove sooner if the chicken appears to be cooking quickly. (1.5 hours is a rough estimate. cooking time will really depend on the type of baking dish you have, convection cooking and thickness of the wings)

Remove the chicken wings from the oven when thoroughly cooked. In a separate dish, melt the butter and hot sauce together. Pour the hot melted butter and hot sauce over the wings in the baking dish and serve with the blue cheese dip.

Blue Cheese Dip Recipe:

1 Container of crumbled blue cheese (about 1 cup)
1/2 Cup of buttermilk
1/2 Cup Melted Cream Cheese

Mix together and serve!

Apple Crumb Pie Egg Allergy Recipe

This easy to make apple pie is not only egg free, its delicious!

Ingredients For Crumb Crust and Topping:
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cups of cold butter chopped into 1/2 inch squares

Ingredients for Filling:
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar
1.5 Tablespoons of Cornstarch
8 apples (your choice) peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch squares
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450F degrees.

In large bowl, mix together flour and sugar. Add butter squares and mash butter with a fork or squish with your hands.

Pour 1/2 the flour mixture into your pie dish (quiche dish also works) and pat down firmly with even coverage for the entire bottom of the baking dish.

In a separate large bowl add both sugars and cornstarch and mix well with a fork. Then add all the remaining ingredients and mix with a spoon until the apples coated with sugar mixture.

Pour apple mixture into pie dish and then pour the remaining flour mixture over the top of the apples.

Bake at 450F degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool for 10-25 minutes before serving. The pie will be extremely hot and the juices may burn.

Egg Allergies and the H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine

Egg Allergies and the H1N1 Vaccine Swine Flu

If you are at high risk for complications from the H1N1 Swine flu virus and are allergic to eggs, it may be possible to receive the H1N1 vaccination. While the H1N1 vaccination is cultivated on ovalbumin (egg white protein) in the same manor as the standard or traditional flu vaccination, it may still be possible to receive the H1N1 vaccination with the help of your allergist.

Your allergist will perform several skin pricks to help determine your allergic reaction risk to the H1N1 flu vaccine. These skin prick tests are not 100% fail proof but do give your doctor a very good idea for allergic risk assessment.

If you pass the scratch test (skin prick test), your doctor may decide to administer the H1N1 vaccination in 10 mini doses over the course of 5 hours to carefully watch for any allergic reactions.

Allergic reactions may vary from minor irritation to severe. If your reaction is minor, Benedryl may be administered along with a steroid cream. If you have a severe reaction you may be given an epinephrine injection along with antihistamines and steroids depending on your situation.

It is important to have your allergist give you the vaccine if you are allergic to eggs because your allergist is prepared for emergency treatment should you need it. Do not attempt to get the H1N1 flu shot from a clinic or pharmacy as they may not be prepared to treat an allergic reaction in an emergency.