Labor of Love

It's time for our co-op's annual Pie Feast, a celebration of the end of the first semester.

 

The first year I was really excited and agonized over choosing a pie.  Turns out most other mothers opt for ease and convenience, and the selections weren't that tempting.  Apparently people are intimidated with pie-making, unfamiliar with the phrase "easy as pie."

 

Convenience isn't really an option for our family due to food allergies and sensitivities, and most anything involved with food becomes very complicated.  Like the request this year for an Oreo pie that needed to be gluten/egg/nut free.

In a conversation with a friend, I explained my dilemma: I could buy faux-Oreos but they are terribly expensive.  Then she pointed out the time and labor involved, and it looked a lot more appealing.  "My voice of reason!" I called her.

A trip to the store with six kids in tow, and I realized faux was not the way to go: aside from the expense, there were cross-contamination issues.  Homemade it would have to be.

I followed this recipe with the help of Stephen, and I am anxious to see how the rest of the crew will like it. 

So I am thankful that I know my kids have allergies; that most food items are labeled; that there are alternatives to common ingredients; that I have the extra time to make something special so my kiddos aren't left out of celebrations.