Let's Get Acquainted!

              Greetings all! My name is Carli. My guess is most of you that will visit my blog are already acquainted with me. For those that are not, here's a little glimpse into my life and my kitchen! 
               I had always been in the kitchen with my mom, who always included me in what she was doing. Whether it was making sugar cookies for the neighbors at Christmas or helping prepare Thanksgiving, she was always encouraging my sister and me to help in the kitchen. Mostly, I remember her telling me not to "ruin [her] good pans!" Haha. But, it's because of my mom that I can cook today and feed my family. 
                Believe it or not, I was not much of a baker or chef up until a couple of years ago. A couple months before I married my husband, I panicked because I realized I barely knew how to cook anything. He was surely going to starve to death! Of course I knew how to make the ole standby, Mac'n'Cheese from a box, and I did know how to boil water. However, it became very apparent rather quickly that I needed to gain some skills in the kitchen. 
                 Over the first couple of years of our marriage, I learned something simple. You follow a recipe, you yield the product you want. This made it very easy for me to try new recipes and to come up with a few of my own. Now, there are still sometimes I have to call my mom for advice. For the most part though, I learn by trial and error. 
               Two and a half years ago, I had my first son, Callum Gray. January 2010, he had his first Anaphylactic reaction to Peanut Butter. Every label of every product (even soap and cleaning supplies) has to be checked before it can come into the house. This threw a curve ball into our life and into the way I viewed food. No longer did I view food as something that fueled our systems, but as things that could threaten the life we hold so dear. Processed foods were out. Fast food was out. It became evident I would need to carefully prepare Callum's food. That became a journey in itself. 
              It's been nearly a year and a half since Callum had his first reaction. By careful inspection and tedious shopping, he has remained without a second Anaphylactic reaction. And, if I can help it, I hope he never has another one. All my husband and I can do is our very best. I've learned some things are beyond our control whether we like it or not. I will do whatever is within my power to keep him safe. That's partially what this blog is about; finding solutions and working through fear. 
              Needless to say, you will not find Peanuts in any of the recipes I will share. While Callum is not allergic to tree nuts, I will rarely use tree nuts in any of my recipes save the occasional Thanksgiving recipe. 
               Another thing you might want to know about my is that I am a vegetarian and have been for almost four years. I do cook meat for my son and my husband. I'm sure this might offend some vegetarians, but I don't believe that my morals need to be pushed on others. Some of my recipes will be with meat and others I have reworked so that they are vegetarian friendly. 
              Besides that, you need only know that I am a dedicated mother, a loving wife, and having fun learning about cooking as I go. Thanks for joining me on my journey!