Did You Know? Rice Krispie Treats

One of our sweet nieces is allergic to many foods.  There is a long list of things she cannot eat.  When I visited for a week last November, I had to pack lunches every day for the girls.  My sister-in-law told me the best rule of thumb was meat, fruit, and veggies.  And... just to be on the safe side, her lunch should be packed before everyone elses, just to make sure there was no cross-contamination of ingredients.  Wow.  That's a lot to think about that early in the morning.  But... we made it through the week without incident [read: no epi-pen or trip to the ER!].  Praise God.

I had received good instructions from my sister-in-law, PLUS, my niece knows her stuff.  In addition, her three sisters really look out for her.  They all know, for the most part, what is acceptable, and what's in the danger zone.

Marshmallows are a regular snack item in their home -- something that is on the "safe" list.  And, if you're like OUR family, that would naturally lead you to think of Rice Krispie Treats.  Of the three ingredients, margarine (or butter if you prefer) was in the danger zone.  BUT, did you know you could substitute the same amount of CANOLA OIL?  I imagine other oils would work as well, but canola oil was what I had on hand -- and I knew it was on the "safe" list for my niece.

So the recipe goes:

1/4 cup margarine (or substitute the same amount of canola oil)

1 pkg. (10 oz.) mini marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

I couldn't resist making these for my niece the day of our daughter's party.  I wanted her to be able to enjoy a sweet treat just like everyone else.  While I wanted all of the kids to have access to the treats, I didn't want to "advertise" them too boldly, making sure that the niece in question got some before they completely disappeared.

I remembered some cute Valentine bags that I bought on clearance last year.  Cutting the treats into uniform squares, I filled the bags and added them to a cute Valentine bowl.  They looked cute, but what was inside was subtle enough that there were actually LEFTOVERS.

My plan was a success.  We knew that our niece had gotten some treats -- and I loved it when, after the party, my daughter mentioned to me that one of the other kids had asked about having a Rice Krispie treat, and my daughter said, "Well, let's make sure that Laura got some before we eat any."  Well done, Sweetie.

Have you learned to adjust a favorite recipe for someone in your life who has allergies?