I know, it's been a looong time. But, things have been busy in our household. First off, we bought our first home!! We spent a lot of time and effort in getting it move in ready (cleaning, paint, small repairs) and almost all of our energy went into that, which means that we've been eating a lot of frozen food, and throw together meals.
However, I just had to share my new obsession. One day I was reading IGE and she had this delicious bagel breakfast sandwich...sweet bagel with egg, bacon and cheese on it. I thought that looks good and sorta forgot about it. Last week, I went to Target to pick up some things and they had a loaf of Apple Fritter Bread in the bakery area. The first night, I made some toast out of it, and it was perfect, sweet and crunchy with some soft apple pieces. It was heavenly.
The next night (I usually don't eat breakfast at home) I decided that I wanted an egg. (Side note--A lot of you that know me will be like WHUUUUT! She does NOT eat eggs!! Ever!! But I've been eating them lately and decided they're not all that bad...most of the time. I still do not like them scrambled unless they have potatoes in them.) I made it sorta fried with a soft yolk on the inside and decided to toast some more Apple Fritter bread with it. I was like, why not? And tossed the egg on the bread and placed a slice of cheese on top.
It.
Was.
AMAZING.
The crunchy sweet of the bread mixed with the slightly melted cheese with the egg was perfect. It was so yummy. My only complaint was that egg was a little too runny for a sandwhich and I ended up with yolk all over.
Saturday I wanted to finish up the loaf of bread, so I made the sandwiches for J and I. This time, however, I scrambled up the eggs and made it more like you would for an omelette, then folded the cheese in the egg and also used slices of the Oscar Mayer Canadian Bacon. Also very good, and much easier to eat than the runnier one.
Overall, new favorite :)
We've got a couple new recipes to try this week, I'll try to keep you all updated :)
Monday, January 10, 2011
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Mid-November Already?
Hello.
I know, I know. It's been a while. I've been busy. Not really an excuse, but it's true. Busy and lazy don't go well together.
A few things I've been wanting to put up here...
I made a chicken and noodle soup. J made the homemade noodles with Granny H's secret family recipe, we all have them, so I won't share this one (If you don't have one, call your Grandma/Mom/Aunt, I'm sure they'd be happy to share the tradition with you! If they won't, then I guess I could share ours...or you can buy the frozen noodles as well.
Since homemade noodles is a whole day affair, I decided to make the chicken one as well. I bought canned chicken broth (no sodium, msg blah blah blah) and put it in a pot then simmered a couple of boneless chicken breasts in it for several hours. At some point, once the chicken was all white, I would pull out the chunks and shred it, so it wasn't such a big piece of chicken. I added in some chopped celery and carrots, some thyme...(that's right, I bought some!), parsley, sage and a bay leaf and just continued to let it simmer. it smelled amazing, and tasted about the same.
Once the noodles were sufficiently dry and the chicken soup tasted like I thought it should, I fished out the bay leaf and most of the veggies (I wanted the flavor of the veggies in the broth but we didn't want to eat them in the soup) and brought it to a rolling boil, then dumped in the noodles and served them over mashed potatoes. I had a little bit too much broth for what we were wanting but it was delicious and definitely warmed the bellies. E ate them like crazy as well, and we had plenty for leftovers for our lunches the next day.
I also tried to make beef stroganoff recently. I browned a pound of ground beef, then mixed in a can of cream of mushroom soup. I also added in some garlic powder and parsely and then added in my boiled egg noodles (Not the homemade style, the "wide egg noodles" you purchase in the pasta aisle.) Once it was all mixed, I then added in about 1/2 cup of sour cream and mixed. It was just ok, I think next time I will up the garlic powder and add some whole mushrooms and maybe some onion.
The next thing I am most excited about cooking is our Thanksgiving dinner. I love making big family dinners and having people over for the meal, this year we will be hosting a friend or two for dinner and I plan on cooking Turkey, Stuffing, Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, some Cranberry sauce (ok that will be from a can) and of course, Green bean casserole and scalloped corn.
Do you have any staples that you eat for thanks giving every year?
I know, I know. It's been a while. I've been busy. Not really an excuse, but it's true. Busy and lazy don't go well together.
A few things I've been wanting to put up here...
I made a chicken and noodle soup. J made the homemade noodles with Granny H's secret family recipe, we all have them, so I won't share this one (If you don't have one, call your Grandma/Mom/Aunt, I'm sure they'd be happy to share the tradition with you! If they won't, then I guess I could share ours...or you can buy the frozen noodles as well.
Since homemade noodles is a whole day affair, I decided to make the chicken one as well. I bought canned chicken broth (no sodium, msg blah blah blah) and put it in a pot then simmered a couple of boneless chicken breasts in it for several hours. At some point, once the chicken was all white, I would pull out the chunks and shred it, so it wasn't such a big piece of chicken. I added in some chopped celery and carrots, some thyme...(that's right, I bought some!), parsley, sage and a bay leaf and just continued to let it simmer. it smelled amazing, and tasted about the same.
Once the noodles were sufficiently dry and the chicken soup tasted like I thought it should, I fished out the bay leaf and most of the veggies (I wanted the flavor of the veggies in the broth but we didn't want to eat them in the soup) and brought it to a rolling boil, then dumped in the noodles and served them over mashed potatoes. I had a little bit too much broth for what we were wanting but it was delicious and definitely warmed the bellies. E ate them like crazy as well, and we had plenty for leftovers for our lunches the next day.
I also tried to make beef stroganoff recently. I browned a pound of ground beef, then mixed in a can of cream of mushroom soup. I also added in some garlic powder and parsely and then added in my boiled egg noodles (Not the homemade style, the "wide egg noodles" you purchase in the pasta aisle.) Once it was all mixed, I then added in about 1/2 cup of sour cream and mixed. It was just ok, I think next time I will up the garlic powder and add some whole mushrooms and maybe some onion.
The next thing I am most excited about cooking is our Thanksgiving dinner. I love making big family dinners and having people over for the meal, this year we will be hosting a friend or two for dinner and I plan on cooking Turkey, Stuffing, Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, some Cranberry sauce (ok that will be from a can) and of course, Green bean casserole and scalloped corn.
Do you have any staples that you eat for thanks giving every year?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
I'm always out of Thyme...
Fall is upon us, and two weekends ago it was cold and rainy...the kind of weather where you really just want to put on your sweats and eat chili in front of the fire. I was cleaning out a closet and found a stash of magazines that I had wanted to try recipes out of, so decided to add one to my grocery list.
Beef and Mushroom French Onion Soup
Original recipe from Hy-Vee's Seasons magazine from Fall 2009
1 Tablespon Olive Oil
12 oz Beef Stew Meat, cut in 1 in cubes
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
5 cups Beef Broth
1/2 cup Dry Red Wine
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Bayleaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Bread and Swiss Cheese
Heat olive oil in a 4 qt Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is brown. Remove beef from Dutch oven, reserve drippings in pan and set aside beef.
Add butter to reserved drippings and heat over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, covered for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, covered, 5 more minutes or until onions are golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in beef, broth, wine, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme and pepper. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Discard Bayleaf.
Meanwhile, pleace bread slices on baking sheet. Top with cheese. Broil 3 - 4 inches from heat for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is light brown and bubbly. Lade soup into bowls, top each serving with a bread slice.
Ok, The changes I made were:
I accidently used 4 cups vegetable broth and 1 cup beef, I didn't realize it until I was recycling the first container...whoops! I also never ever have any Thyme...I always think I do, buuut, I don't, so I skipped it as well as the bayleaf. Everything else I followed pretty closely. I don't know off the top of my head what type of wine I used (I'll try to remember to check in the morning!), but it was recommended to me by my dear friend Julia. The only other changes I made was I had bought a 16 oz package of stew meat, so I used the whole thing, and while I understand that it was French ONION soup, we don't like a whole lot of onions, so I used about 1/2 of a big onion. For the bread, we used Ciabatta rolls/buns that were sliced in half and I used slices of Swiss Cheese on top.
It was really, really good! In fact, I will be making it a lot this soup season. The only thing I think I'll change from my adaptations would be to use shredded swiss cheese instead of the sliced, Just because I like my bread to be cheesier. We did serve our bread on the side, rather than on top, and then dipped the chewy crispy bread in the soup...my mouth is watering just thinking about it!! Since it makes a decent sized pot and the boys won't eat it, we had the leftovers the next night and it was still really good.
That's the only real new recipe I've tried...I've been eating a lot of Overnight Oats, which is popular in several food blogs, however I'll choose the local Iowa Girl Eats to reference...since, well...she's local!
Other things we've done recently...Roasted veggies (Zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, new potatoes, baby carrots all chopped or sliced and tossed in olive oil and...well, roasted...here's a tip, toss in the potatoes, baby carrots and new potatoes a while before you toss in your other softer veggies that will roast faster) grilling and just quick meals here and there. I had a minor surgery last week, and ended up eating turkey sammiches (on Arnold's Sandwich thins with Miracle whip and a slice of sargento colby jack...yummy!) for 2 days...darn vicodin cravings! And I must also mention...HONEYCRISPS ARE BACK!!! Yes, the one time per year I not only buy apples, but I spend $3/lb on them!
What's new in your kitchen?
Beef and Mushroom French Onion Soup
Original recipe from Hy-Vee's Seasons magazine from Fall 2009
1 Tablespon Olive Oil
12 oz Beef Stew Meat, cut in 1 in cubes
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
5 cups Beef Broth
1/2 cup Dry Red Wine
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Bayleaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Bread and Swiss Cheese
Heat olive oil in a 4 qt Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is brown. Remove beef from Dutch oven, reserve drippings in pan and set aside beef.
Add butter to reserved drippings and heat over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, covered for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, covered, 5 more minutes or until onions are golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in beef, broth, wine, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme and pepper. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Discard Bayleaf.
Meanwhile, pleace bread slices on baking sheet. Top with cheese. Broil 3 - 4 inches from heat for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is light brown and bubbly. Lade soup into bowls, top each serving with a bread slice.
Ok, The changes I made were:
I accidently used 4 cups vegetable broth and 1 cup beef, I didn't realize it until I was recycling the first container...whoops! I also never ever have any Thyme...I always think I do, buuut, I don't, so I skipped it as well as the bayleaf. Everything else I followed pretty closely. I don't know off the top of my head what type of wine I used (I'll try to remember to check in the morning!), but it was recommended to me by my dear friend Julia. The only other changes I made was I had bought a 16 oz package of stew meat, so I used the whole thing, and while I understand that it was French ONION soup, we don't like a whole lot of onions, so I used about 1/2 of a big onion. For the bread, we used Ciabatta rolls/buns that were sliced in half and I used slices of Swiss Cheese on top.
It was really, really good! In fact, I will be making it a lot this soup season. The only thing I think I'll change from my adaptations would be to use shredded swiss cheese instead of the sliced, Just because I like my bread to be cheesier. We did serve our bread on the side, rather than on top, and then dipped the chewy crispy bread in the soup...my mouth is watering just thinking about it!! Since it makes a decent sized pot and the boys won't eat it, we had the leftovers the next night and it was still really good.
That's the only real new recipe I've tried...I've been eating a lot of Overnight Oats, which is popular in several food blogs, however I'll choose the local Iowa Girl Eats to reference...since, well...she's local!
Other things we've done recently...Roasted veggies (Zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, new potatoes, baby carrots all chopped or sliced and tossed in olive oil and...well, roasted...here's a tip, toss in the potatoes, baby carrots and new potatoes a while before you toss in your other softer veggies that will roast faster) grilling and just quick meals here and there. I had a minor surgery last week, and ended up eating turkey sammiches (on Arnold's Sandwich thins with Miracle whip and a slice of sargento colby jack...yummy!) for 2 days...darn vicodin cravings! And I must also mention...HONEYCRISPS ARE BACK!!! Yes, the one time per year I not only buy apples, but I spend $3/lb on them!
What's new in your kitchen?
Monday, September 6, 2010
Sorry...
It's been so long since I've done a post! Life has gotten in the way. I do, however, have some things to share.
First, I tried the Peaches and Pork recipe on Chicken...it was Super Yummy! I served it with some baked beans and home made potato wedges.
Wedges:
Cut up some "New Potatoes" (I used the red skinned kind and left the skin on)
Put some olive oil in a zippy bag or in a glad ware container.
Seal and Shake.
Add in your favorite seasonings. (I used Rosemary and some parsley)
Shake some more.
Pour onto a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 until done. Simple, easy and delicious.
J hasn't been feeling the best lately, and he wanted something bland and some sort of soup...I decided I would try making Chicken and Stars.
2 Chicken breasts
1 box of Swanson's Chicken Broth
Seasonings (Italian Seasoning)
Handful of Frozen Mixed Veggies
Pastina
I diced up the chicken breasts and browned them, then slowly added in the broth. I then sprinkled some seasoning in until it smelled right and added in the frozen veggies. I let it all simmer for about 15 minutes and then added in the Pastina. ( I added WAAAAAAYYYY too much. I would guess I used 1/2-3/4 a cup of Pastina, and probably 1/4 would have been plenty.) I then let it simmer another 5-10 minutes then served.
The next time I make it, I'll take more time, and make sure to have better soup veggies (chopped celery, onions, carrots) and let it simmer a lot longer to let the flavors blend better, however over all it was really really good. I'm not sure how it would take to re-heating, since I added so much Pastina by the time we were done eating and cleaning up the boys etc to put away dinner, it had turned into a giant casserole, so we just tossed it.
One last thing to add, I've been trying to count calories and watch what I'm eating and tracking my calories here. I'm cutting back on Diet Coke and drinking more water. I'm (gasp!) exercising.
A couple of things I've learned I like in the last week or so include Greek Yogurt (It took a few tries to decide I liked it...the consistency is a lot thicker than regular yogurt but its good!), lots of fresh veggies for my snacks (rather than hitting up the vending machine for yet ANOTHER package of PB M&Ms). I've been making "old fashioned" oatmeal in the morning--still in the microwave, but it's supposed to be healthier than the instant. I bought some Agave nectar I've yet to try, but I'm excited to do so.
Last but not least, I've found a new (to me) way to enjoy salad.
Broccoli slaw
Chopped Cucumbers
Sliced Mushrooms,
Diced up Cheese Stick
Chopped Broccoli
Chopped Green Peppers
I then add 10 sprays of Ranch, put a lid on the bowl and shake. The 10 sprays usually coat the salad really well, adding a great flavor without too many calories.
So, that's what I've been up to....not as much cooking lately, but I'm excited for the fall weather and the delicious recipes that come with it.
What are you most excited for?
First, I tried the Peaches and Pork recipe on Chicken...it was Super Yummy! I served it with some baked beans and home made potato wedges.
Wedges:
Cut up some "New Potatoes" (I used the red skinned kind and left the skin on)
Put some olive oil in a zippy bag or in a glad ware container.
Seal and Shake.
Add in your favorite seasonings. (I used Rosemary and some parsley)
Shake some more.
Pour onto a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 until done. Simple, easy and delicious.
J hasn't been feeling the best lately, and he wanted something bland and some sort of soup...I decided I would try making Chicken and Stars.
2 Chicken breasts
1 box of Swanson's Chicken Broth
Seasonings (Italian Seasoning)
Handful of Frozen Mixed Veggies
Pastina
I diced up the chicken breasts and browned them, then slowly added in the broth. I then sprinkled some seasoning in until it smelled right and added in the frozen veggies. I let it all simmer for about 15 minutes and then added in the Pastina. ( I added WAAAAAAYYYY too much. I would guess I used 1/2-3/4 a cup of Pastina, and probably 1/4 would have been plenty.) I then let it simmer another 5-10 minutes then served.
The next time I make it, I'll take more time, and make sure to have better soup veggies (chopped celery, onions, carrots) and let it simmer a lot longer to let the flavors blend better, however over all it was really really good. I'm not sure how it would take to re-heating, since I added so much Pastina by the time we were done eating and cleaning up the boys etc to put away dinner, it had turned into a giant casserole, so we just tossed it.
One last thing to add, I've been trying to count calories and watch what I'm eating and tracking my calories here. I'm cutting back on Diet Coke and drinking more water. I'm (gasp!) exercising.
A couple of things I've learned I like in the last week or so include Greek Yogurt (It took a few tries to decide I liked it...the consistency is a lot thicker than regular yogurt but its good!), lots of fresh veggies for my snacks (rather than hitting up the vending machine for yet ANOTHER package of PB M&Ms). I've been making "old fashioned" oatmeal in the morning--still in the microwave, but it's supposed to be healthier than the instant. I bought some Agave nectar I've yet to try, but I'm excited to do so.
Last but not least, I've found a new (to me) way to enjoy salad.
Broccoli slaw
Chopped Cucumbers
Sliced Mushrooms,
Diced up Cheese Stick
Chopped Broccoli
Chopped Green Peppers
I then add 10 sprays of Ranch, put a lid on the bowl and shake. The 10 sprays usually coat the salad really well, adding a great flavor without too many calories.
So, that's what I've been up to....not as much cooking lately, but I'm excited for the fall weather and the delicious recipes that come with it.
What are you most excited for?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Ewww...frozen dinners!
Typically I am anti-frozen dinner. I don't think they taste good, they're not filling, and just overall, gross. I once in a while would grab a Healthy Choice meal, but prefer to either take left overs, or (like I usually do) just eat out. After working 3 years downtown, I am REALLY sick of what the sky walk offers. Sure, I'll eat pizza now and again from Something Italian (my FAVORITE!) or some Chinese from Canton Express (aka "Dirty Chinese") but it was to the point where I couldn't think of a single thing to eat in the sky walk that sounded good and wasn't over priced. My dear friend "T" was eating something one day that looked...well...good! I asked her what it was, where she got it, cost, and most importantly, if it was good and decided to try it for myself.
The meals I speak of are by a brand called Amy's Kitchen. The dinners can be found in the frozen food aisles, at Wal-Mart, they are beside the healthier options. The Ankeny store offers a small variety of the meals, and I'm getting around to trying them all. They are pretty cheap, less than $4 each (which is cheap considering I had been spending at least $7 a day on lunch, sometimes more) and they are organic, vegetarian and most of all? DELICIOUS!! I never ever thought I would say that about a frozen meal that I hadn't created myself, but they are. They take about 5-7 minutes to cook, and smell amazing. I've had enchiladas, tamales, and lasagna so far and love them all. They are pretty filling as well, although sometimes I wish I had just a handful of chips and some salsa, or maybe a small side salad or piece of garlic bread. I have yet to finish one and then be STARVING within an hour like with some of the meals. Another perk about the meals--there are many different lines of the meals, that cater to people with special dietary needs or allergies (low sodium, gluten-free, lactose-free, etc).
I just thought I would share this product with you guys while I was thinking of it...and while I was making my grocery list for next week as well.
What's your favorite frozen dinner or meal to pack for lunch during the week? I could really use some new ideas!!
The meals I speak of are by a brand called Amy's Kitchen. The dinners can be found in the frozen food aisles, at Wal-Mart, they are beside the healthier options. The Ankeny store offers a small variety of the meals, and I'm getting around to trying them all. They are pretty cheap, less than $4 each (which is cheap considering I had been spending at least $7 a day on lunch, sometimes more) and they are organic, vegetarian and most of all? DELICIOUS!! I never ever thought I would say that about a frozen meal that I hadn't created myself, but they are. They take about 5-7 minutes to cook, and smell amazing. I've had enchiladas, tamales, and lasagna so far and love them all. They are pretty filling as well, although sometimes I wish I had just a handful of chips and some salsa, or maybe a small side salad or piece of garlic bread. I have yet to finish one and then be STARVING within an hour like with some of the meals. Another perk about the meals--there are many different lines of the meals, that cater to people with special dietary needs or allergies (low sodium, gluten-free, lactose-free, etc).
I just thought I would share this product with you guys while I was thinking of it...and while I was making my grocery list for next week as well.
What's your favorite frozen dinner or meal to pack for lunch during the week? I could really use some new ideas!!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Peaches and...pork?
So, I found a recipe in a magazine I wanted to make. I read the ingrediaents list and bought everything....then? Threw the magazine in the recycling...whoops! So, the closest I found was found here. But it was different than the one I wanted to use sooo, I decided to play with it.
I started with the basics from the recipe, but cut it in half:
1/2 cup Peach Preserves
About a tablespoon of honey (I never measure honey, its too sticky)
Lemon Juice
And that's where it went wrong. I poured a lot more lemon juice than I intended so I had to add some more Peach Preserves and squirted in some more honey to even it out.
Then I added some cinnamon, probably 1/2 teaspoon and some brown sugar (around 1/4 cup) and simmered it until it was a nice looking glaze....it was thickening like a gravy, where when you drag the scraper thru, you can see the bottom of the pan.
Then I sent J outside with the glaze since he is the official griller in the household. He grilled our chops (I used some thinner chops, almost like a butterfly chop that's been cut in half) for about 10 minutes or so, flipping every couple of minutes and re-applying the glaze on each turn. After the grilling, he tented them with foil so they could rest, and I finished up the sides. We were going to have fresh green beans, but Dahls only had them in huge bags, which we would never use, so he bought a bag of the steamer kind. We rounded it out with some mixed fresh fruit.
The chops were AMAZING. They were super juicy, and the flavor was really good. We had a ton of the glaze leftover, since I had to add more to even it out, but it was sooo good and we will definatly being having them again, and I might even try the original loin. I think they would be really good with grilled peaches (I remember I wanted them just as J was pulling back in the driveway from getting the lemon juice and beans), sweet potato fries or even baked wedges.
I started with the basics from the recipe, but cut it in half:
1/2 cup Peach Preserves
About a tablespoon of honey (I never measure honey, its too sticky)
Lemon Juice
And that's where it went wrong. I poured a lot more lemon juice than I intended so I had to add some more Peach Preserves and squirted in some more honey to even it out.
Then I added some cinnamon, probably 1/2 teaspoon and some brown sugar (around 1/4 cup) and simmered it until it was a nice looking glaze....it was thickening like a gravy, where when you drag the scraper thru, you can see the bottom of the pan.
Then I sent J outside with the glaze since he is the official griller in the household. He grilled our chops (I used some thinner chops, almost like a butterfly chop that's been cut in half) for about 10 minutes or so, flipping every couple of minutes and re-applying the glaze on each turn. After the grilling, he tented them with foil so they could rest, and I finished up the sides. We were going to have fresh green beans, but Dahls only had them in huge bags, which we would never use, so he bought a bag of the steamer kind. We rounded it out with some mixed fresh fruit.
The chops were AMAZING. They were super juicy, and the flavor was really good. We had a ton of the glaze leftover, since I had to add more to even it out, but it was sooo good and we will definatly being having them again, and I might even try the original loin. I think they would be really good with grilled peaches (I remember I wanted them just as J was pulling back in the driveway from getting the lemon juice and beans), sweet potato fries or even baked wedges.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Baby Food! (because babies eat too!)
I've been making a lot of my own baby food lately. There are several reasons (healthier, fresher, easier to store, fun to make...) but I'm doing it mainly because...well, I'm cheap. I got the idea one day when I was cleaning out the freezer. We were almost out of peas, E's favorite, so I decided to try my hand with my new blender.
I did a few quick online searches and basically they said to steam your veggies, mash them up and freeze them in ice cube trays. So, that's basically what I do!
So far, we've tried Peas, Mixed Veggies, Sweet Potatoes (I bake those, then peel them and mash them up), and lately been venturing into different combos.
Over the weekend, I made Cauliflower and Carrots, these were a little thicker, so I added some breast-milk into them, like I do with the sweet potatoes. I've read you can also use formula, and sometimes I add extra of the water I steamed them in, depending on the veggie--sometimes though, the steamed water can make it bitter, or so I've read.
In addition to the cauliflower-carrots, I made a couple fruit combos. Before this weekend, the only fruit I'd done was peaches (I would literally buy the frozen non-sweetened ones, thaw them out, mix them up and re-freeze them) so I was curious to see what he'd like. The first combo was an idea I had gotten from Chanda, a fellow baby-food maker. She said that her daughter loves fruit and yogurt so I thought, might as well! I took out my bag of mixed berries, added a banana and some yogurt, just like a smoothie, put in some breast-milk and blended away. I let E try it as I was filling the trays and ended up saving a bowl for him, he LOVED it.
I then decided I would try apples, So I cored one, skinned it, chopped it and steamed it in the microwave. I have a giant glad-ware container that works great for steaming since I don't have a steamer and well...probably wouldn't use if even if I did. While they were steaming I chunked up a kiwi and a banana, and grabbed a few of the berries he loved so much. After the apples were mostly soft, I dumped them and the tiny bit of juice/water that was in the container, mixed in the other fruit and blended it. I thought this one was a little bitter, but E loved it. (I think the problem was there wasn't the yogurt or any sugar that I'm used to, so it just wasn't as sweet.)
Overall, I'm pretty happy I decided to go on my baby-food making adventures, and will probably continue to do it, at least until he decides that he doesn't have to gag with texture...This weekend, I'm going to try chicken and pasta. I bought some Pastini, the itty bitty stars to try.
Tips:
I use my blender, usually on puree.
I blend the fruits/veggies both cold and hot, not really a difference as long as they are cooked.
When it's time to eat them, I usually set them out as I start cooking dinner, so they are softened by the time he's ready to eat. I have microwaved them for 30 sec at a time or so though when needed, stirring lots and usually letting it sit on the counter to come back to room temp.
If you're not sure how to cook something, look it up! I've used here a few times and here. I'm sure there are plenty of other great resources. If you know of one, please let me know!
Any combos you think I should try?
I did a few quick online searches and basically they said to steam your veggies, mash them up and freeze them in ice cube trays. So, that's basically what I do!
So far, we've tried Peas, Mixed Veggies, Sweet Potatoes (I bake those, then peel them and mash them up), and lately been venturing into different combos.
Over the weekend, I made Cauliflower and Carrots, these were a little thicker, so I added some breast-milk into them, like I do with the sweet potatoes. I've read you can also use formula, and sometimes I add extra of the water I steamed them in, depending on the veggie--sometimes though, the steamed water can make it bitter, or so I've read.
In addition to the cauliflower-carrots, I made a couple fruit combos. Before this weekend, the only fruit I'd done was peaches (I would literally buy the frozen non-sweetened ones, thaw them out, mix them up and re-freeze them) so I was curious to see what he'd like. The first combo was an idea I had gotten from Chanda, a fellow baby-food maker. She said that her daughter loves fruit and yogurt so I thought, might as well! I took out my bag of mixed berries, added a banana and some yogurt, just like a smoothie, put in some breast-milk and blended away. I let E try it as I was filling the trays and ended up saving a bowl for him, he LOVED it.
I then decided I would try apples, So I cored one, skinned it, chopped it and steamed it in the microwave. I have a giant glad-ware container that works great for steaming since I don't have a steamer and well...probably wouldn't use if even if I did. While they were steaming I chunked up a kiwi and a banana, and grabbed a few of the berries he loved so much. After the apples were mostly soft, I dumped them and the tiny bit of juice/water that was in the container, mixed in the other fruit and blended it. I thought this one was a little bitter, but E loved it. (I think the problem was there wasn't the yogurt or any sugar that I'm used to, so it just wasn't as sweet.)
Overall, I'm pretty happy I decided to go on my baby-food making adventures, and will probably continue to do it, at least until he decides that he doesn't have to gag with texture...This weekend, I'm going to try chicken and pasta. I bought some Pastini, the itty bitty stars to try.
Tips:
I use my blender, usually on puree.
I blend the fruits/veggies both cold and hot, not really a difference as long as they are cooked.
When it's time to eat them, I usually set them out as I start cooking dinner, so they are softened by the time he's ready to eat. I have microwaved them for 30 sec at a time or so though when needed, stirring lots and usually letting it sit on the counter to come back to room temp.
If you're not sure how to cook something, look it up! I've used here a few times and here. I'm sure there are plenty of other great resources. If you know of one, please let me know!
Any combos you think I should try?
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