Brownies, Take 1

Last week, we were invited to a BBQ thrown by the parents of one of the "friends" in Amelia's playgroup. The air quotes are because at three and 1/2, she's not quite sure what it means to be a friend. They all usually play near each other but not so much together. But I digress... .

Anyway, I knew there would be a ton of stuff Amelia was allergic to, which always stresses me out -- you know, "Will she touch someone else's plate?" "Will someone else touch her food?" But I figured I could bring some stuff she'd like and hope for the best. It's not like I'm willing to keep her in a plastic bubble just because she has food allergies, but I do wish I didn't get so anxious in the first place.

We brought her some basic, easy-to-pack foods for her dinner (bagel--> success, chicken--> bust, why do I bother with the stupid bird in the first place?, potato chips--> interested in them on her plate but didn't eat them). I also made a big deal out of bringing brownies (homemade, no eggs/dairy/nuts/sesame/soy/etc.) and popsicles (Edy's fruit bars) so that there'd be treats there she could have. Amelia was excited about those, so I thought I'd offer her a taste of the brownie before we hit the party, partially as a tasty treat but also in a pre-emptive "if she is going to gag and spit it out, better to get it out of the way pre-party" kind of maneuver.

All went well until I put the yummy chocolate-y brownie in her hand ... . As soon as she touched it she handed it back with a "no thanks." (Points for being polite!) Turns out a fresh-out-of-the-oven brownie that's still a bit warm is a no-no. This kid likes her food icy cold or room temp. Sigh. She did, however, have some popsicle at the party, and managed to have a good time.

We'll see how the next round of brownie-making goes, since she wants to make them for Father's Day. Often, Amelia enjoys the making and not the eating, so my job is not to push her to "try a bite" because a) that never works and b) it is super stressful for both of us and c) why do I care if she tries a bite or not?

Stay tuned, and I'll share the receipe, too. It is really good and super easy -- two things I like when it comes to baking.