Spice, spice baby

Yes. I'm still here. And no. I haven't been stuck in Atlanta traffic all this time.
I will blame the lapse in transitioning and starting a new job because that's sounds better than laziness.
But don't lose heart; I've been doing a lot of feeding Josie — an activity that now includes more spices.
I've always been a gal who likes to mix it up. I've perked up butternut squash bisque with allspice and zinged plain, old steamed vegetables with a little smoked paprika. I ain't scared.
Yet, I was kind of shy when it came to whether I should spice Josie's food and with what. I wasn't quite sure what would agree with her, what she'd like, what would be too much to handle and what might just turn her into a werewolf. Fortunately, the latter hasn't happened...yet.
She likes sweet potatoes baked with a mix of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves or scrambled eggs with a dash of dried oregano. She's a spunky chick like her momma. She's done well with spicier cuisines, as well: Indian, Ethopian and Thai. (Perhaps because I ate so much of it while pregnant and nursing.)
I'm not sure when I got comfortable with the notion of spicin' up Josie's meals. Perhaps, it happened when I just got too tired of making separate meals for her and decreed she'd eat the same thing as us.
Now, I don't put A LOT of spice in her food. I probably hold back a little more on seasoning than I normally would, and I stay away from the hot stuff. But all in all, she's been pro-spice.
Truth be told, she's been doing a little experimenting of her own:

(Warning: This video contains scenes of extreme cuteness, heightened by chubby legs and hiccups.)

Here are some links that I found helpful, too, during my quest to suss out the skinny on spices:
- http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/tipspices.htm
- http://www.babycenter.com.my/baby/startingsolids/spicesinbabyfoodexpert/
- http://www.livestrong.com/article/153972-what-herbs-spices-can-be-added-to-baby-foods/
- http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/tipcurry.htm

Table scraps

Baby, I don't think we're in Jackson any more.
We are finally settling into our temporary home in the Atlanta area. Right now, we still live in a magical fantasy world of cardboard boxes and clothing piles. So, cooking is not the top priority. But I've managed to make some decent meals this week and Josie has tried some new things.

Babysaurus Rex
A while back, I fretted about whether and how to introduce Josie to meat. Turns out she's a big fan of animal flesh. I'm OK with it. I'm OK with it. I'm OK with it....(repeat).
Actually though, I am becoming OK with it. While I have made the decision not to eat mammals and flip-flopped back and forth with vegetarianism, I think Josie should eat what makes her happy and healthy. And that can include meat until she decides otherwise.
She's been a big fan of eggs and poultry — especially dark meat chicken and turkey — since the day she first tried it. In fact, on cranky days when we can't get her to eat anything else on her tray, she'll eat baked chicken.
She's had beef at day care. And she tried ham at my parents house last month.
Today, she tried lamb and fish (mahi mahi) for the first time. She ate both like she'd been eating them her whole life.
So, look out animals! Basically if you roam, crawl, fly or swim, Josie will eat you.
And there's more bad news. She'll get more teeth. (She still only has two)

Berbere baby
We've only been in the ATL for four days and already we've eaten Indian and Ethiopian. Food. Not people. Felt the need to clarify, after the previous post.
This was my first time eating at an Ethiopian restaurant. It was good. Hearty, spicy lentil stews. Garlicky collard greens. Spongy, sourdough, pancake-like rolls of bread for scooping and sopping.
Josie was a big fan of the bread, called injera. She also liked the greens (??? I can't figure out if she likes garlic or just humors me sometimes.) and the mild, stewed chick peas.
I didn't actually let her try any of the Berbere spice mix because I thought it may be too overpowering for her. But she ate some of Chris' lamb stew.
It made me happy to share a new experience with her. And I hope she's an adventurous eater as she gets older. I think it's a good way to broaden her palate and introduce her to new cultures.
Whose cuisine should we hit up next? Maybe Polish. 'Bout time she had some pierogi and borscht. Those are her birthrights after all.
Or maybe some Persian (Ahem. Samira, I will trade babysitting. Seriously.)
Or Korean. Or Lebanese. Or dim sum. Or South African. Or Jamaican.
Atlanta maybe rooted in the heart of Dixie, but it's dinner table has traveled the globe.