Weekend recipe: Chai tea

Baby, it's cold outside. And also iced over. And that's why we haven't gone past the front door in three straight days. Aghhhh...
Thank you for humoring my temporary freak out. Anyway, as I was saying, it's down right cold.
To combat the chill, I've taken to coffee, cocoa and my most favorite warm beverage: tea. And my favoritest of favorites is chai.
It's soothing and milky. It has a slight caffeine kick. It's spicy. It pretty much gets me through this rough patch of cabin fever. Fevah!
So while this is not a recipe for babies or toddlers, an occasional recipe for mommies and daddies is important, too. After all, it's rather hard to feed Josie if Mommy's all cross-eyed and itchy from being stuck indoors for 72 consecutive hours.

Chai tea
Time
About 20 minutes
Ingredients and Equipment
- 4 to 6 cups of water
- 3 to 4 bags of black tea (Don't used flavored black tea; just plain like assam or darjeeling or pekoe. And truthfully, plain old Lipton's is the best.)
- whole milk
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 whole cloves
- 6 green whole cardamom pods
- a dozen whole black peppercorns

- 1/2 to 1 cup white sugar (optional)

- saucepot
- ladle
- sieve
Directions
- Bring water to a boil in the saucepot and drop in the tea bags. Make sure to add enough bags to brew a strong, very dark tea.
- Also drop in the whole spices, though you should crush the cardamom pods in your hands before adding to the mix.
-Stir in the sugar. (Alternatively, you can leave the sugar out and sweeten my the mugful or leave it plain.)
- Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and cover with a lid. Let the tea and spices steep for 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat up just slightly and add several splashes of whole milk.
- Serve warm. (Place the sieve over a mug and ladle the chai into the sieve to strain out the whole spices.)

Weekend recipe: Smoothie pops

Yeah, I know it's January. But in my head, I like to pretend it's June. Helps me get through the cold drizzly times.
Adding fuel to my is-it-summer-yet fire, is a sweet set of Tupperware popsicle molds I found tucked away in my father-in-laws cupboard. It's pretty much the exact same set I used as a child in the 19(ahem)80s(ahem) to make pudding pops (I was a cultish follower of Bill Cosby. It was the 80s.) and fruit pops and frozen Kool-Aid. Anyway, enough popsicle-induced flashback.
Suffice to say, I found inspiration. I added it up in my head, and the sum was "total yes."
- I'm trying to find different ways to get Josie to eat more fruit and take more liquids [TMI: But the switch to whole milk has created some problems...let's just say in the back porch area.]
- I wish it were summer.
- I love playing with popsicle molds.
- And, it turns out, my father-in-law is a huge fan of smoothies.
So here I go!

Smoothie pops

Very berry good!

Time
Prep time is about 15 minutes
Freeze time is a few hours
Ingredients and Equipment
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 cup frozen fruit (Go nuts. Mix and match. I like blueberries, strawberries, mango and peaches. You could also try pineapple. And grocery stores sell beaucoup kinds of frozen fruit mixes. Fresh fruit may be used, but you may have to add ice to get the smoothie effect, and I find that approach can yield watery drinks)
- A couple tablespoons of yogurt (I like vanilla yogurt, but fruit flavors or plain would work. With plain, you may have a tarter, less sweet smoothie)
- A few splashes of milk (just enough to get things moving in the blender. You could also use soy milk — just make sure your little one is OK with that.)
- Blender
- Popsicle mold set
Directions
- Dump everything in blender and puree until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the smoothie into the popsicle molds and freeze until hard.

"I wish it were summer, too, Mommy."

P.S. If you aren't down with the whole pops thing, just make the smoothie. Also, if you're not fortunate enough to find Tupperware popsicle-making treasure in your or someone else's pantry, go kitchen gangsta and pour the smoothie into Dixie cups and insert plastic spoons (preferably filched from a fastfood restaurant) as sticks.

Weekend recipe: turkey pasta bake

Ugh. I've thought about posting this for days. But between battling the laundry monster, scheduling and then fretting about job interviews, making lists, losing lists, making new lists and chasing around a toddler...I sorta forgot. Sorry, y'all. One week soon, maybe I'll actually post a weekend recipe on the weekend.
Then again, like this turkey pasta bake...perhaps the idea gets better the next day.
I came up with this recipe as a way to repurpose leftover Christmas turkey (like leftover Thanksgiving turkey, just jollier). Really, I ended up stretching the turkey out longer. But no one complained. Not even after the third day.
In fact, it really did get better the next day. And not only did my husband, father-in-law and teenage niece like it, so did my little gobbler Josie. Then again, who doesn't like a simple, warm meal to cheer us up after the post-Christmas doldrums set in?

Turkey Pasta Bake
Time
About an hour
Ingredients and Equipment
-13-oz box whole wheat thin spaghetti
-extra virgin olive oil
-1 bunch green onions
-1 clove of garlic
-leftover turkey, pulled off the bone and shredded
-14-oz can stewed tomatoes (you can add 2 cans if you like)
-1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (dried oregano, thyme, parsley)

-salt and pepper

-1 cup whole or reduced-fat milk
-2 tablespoons flour (preferred Wondra)
-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra in reserve
-about 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (mozzarella or any other kind would work just as well)
-pasta pot
-large sauce pan or deep-sided skillet
-baking dish (9x13 or so)
-spray oil
Directions
- Boil spaghetti noodles in a large pot with lots of salted water.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Trim and finely slice green onions. Then add them to a large sauce pan or skillet with a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Saute over medium low heat.
- Mince garlic and add to pan.
- Once green onions and garlic cook down, add the turkey, stewed tomatoes, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
- In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, pour a cup of milk. Then dissolve the Wondra or flour in the milk before pouring the mixture into the pan with the turkey mixture.
- Add Parmesan cheese. Mix well and allow all ingredients to come to a simmer.
- Drain the pasta and add to the turkey sauce. Toss well.
- Add the pasta and sauce to a baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with oil. Then, top with shredded cheese and a sprinkling of Parmesan.
- Pop in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and there is a golden, bubbly crust.

Weekend recipe: split pea soup (AND GIVEAWAY)

Sorry this is long overdue, but when you're unemployed it can be hard to sort the weekday from the weekend.
I kid, of course. I'm spending as much time chasing after a toddler and applying for jobs, as I would at a regular 9-to-5. I'm also cooking again. Hooray!
It's kind of weird whipping up a meal in unfamiliar environs. We're living temporarily with my father-in-law, who is a wonderful, wise, witty man and a steadfast patriarch. But he is not a cook.
In fact, his rule of measure is that he won't make anything that takes longer than seven minutes — start to finish.
And with my regular arsenal cookware in storage, I'm a bit fumbly. But I broke in my culinary habitat with a big pot of split pea soup. It always makes me feel at home.
Plus, the weather in Atlanta was awful. Our first week was cold and cold and just plain cold. Perfect soup weather.
So, I will share my recipe for warmth with, y'all.
AND, get yourself a little Christmas. How does this sound: a $35 promotional shopping code at CSN Stores (an online emporium of more than 200 Web sites where you can find furniture, kitchen ware, leather messenger bags, baby gear and all kinds of stuff )?
Comment below and let me know what soup warms your wintry cockles. I'll select one comment randomly and announce the winner on Friday. That's Christmas Eve, y'all.)

Split pea soup
Time
About an hour and a half
Ingredients and Equipment
- 1 pound bag dried split green peas
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 14-oz cans chicken broth
- 4 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground dried sage
- 1 teaspoon paprika (not hot)
- 1 package turkey kielbasa (optional)
- soup pot
Directions
- Saute the carrots and garlic in olive oil in the bottom of the soup pot until tender
- Rinse split peas and add to pot. Then pour in chicken broth and water.
- Turn up heat to a boil and then lower to a simmer.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Add spices.
- Simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Peas should become very tender and nearly melt.
- Slice turkey kielbasa and heat in a saute pan until browned and add to soup.
This stuff is even better the next day. And there will be a next day because this recipe makes a lot.

Weekend recipe: sloppy Josies

So...Josie is going through a finicky streak and what I hope is just a phase. One day, she's all, "Bananas! I freakin' love bananas!" And the next day, she's "Ugh. Bananas. No way!"
She used to chow down on sweet potatoes. Now, they're floor decorations.
Scrambled eggs and grits are so two weeks ago.
Green beans? On the floor. Carrots? On the floor. Oatmeal? On the floor.
Pretty much the only things that have been making it into her mouth are Cheerios, cranberry jiggle , cheese and yogurt. That's just not pretty.
I hope it's just that she's experimenting with gravity and will go back to eating. Or that she's toying with her new found will. Or that feeding the dog, right now, is more fun than feeding herself.
While I know she's getting most of her nutrients still from bottles, the time of table food and whole milk only are quickly approaching. As is the end of my patience. A month more and I may be at the point where I'm offering to buy her a pony if she'll just eat peas.
But for now, I'm adopting the U.S. State Department policy that I don't negotiate with (mealtime) terrorists.
And I'm trying to be more creative. Thus was born this weekend recipe.
She gets sloppy Joes at day care. I'm not sure how much she eats, but I haven't heard any reports that she's not. So, if I can't beat day care food I sure as heck can make it better and healthier.
And, I can repurpose some of that delicious, leftover turkey in my fridge.

Sloppy Josies
Time
About 30 minutes
Ingredients and Equipment
- 1/2 a medium onion
- 1 carrot
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- A few handfuls of roasted turkey (You'll only need enough to make a few sandwiches. A good chunk of breast meat and some thigh meat will do. The first time I made this, I added way to much and had to triple the sauce recipe.)
- 8 oz can of plain tomato sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp paprika (not hot paprika)
- 1/8 tsp chili powder (mild)
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- wheat bread
- saute pan
- sauce pan
- food processor
Directions
- Peel and dice the onion and carrot. (The dice should be about finger tip sized.)
- Saute carrot and onion in about a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, with a pinch of salt, on low heat until the onion is translucent and the carrot is soft.
- Transfer carrot and onion to the food processor and pulse
- Add the turkey meat and pulse again until you get the texture you'd like. (The first time I tried this, I pulsed too long. The turkey ended up the consistency of potted meat. Josie didn't seem to mind, but it wasn't as appetizing for the adults.)
- In a small sauce pan add the tomato sauce, a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and spices. Simmer for five minutes and let cool.
- Mix the the ground turkey and sauce in a bowl. Then serve on toasted wheat bread. (I constructed Josie's sloppy Josies in a mini-finger sandwich fashion. Presentation plus!)

Weekend recipe: home unfries

By most measures, I'm head cook in this house with one big exception: breakfast. I'm OK at breakfast.
No, actually I'm pretty bad.
That's because I'd eat cold, leftover take-out for breakfast — and have on many occasions — if left to my own devices.
Fortunately for us, Chris is The Breakfast Master. And yes, I meant to capitalize the.
He, like any good southern gent, bakes biscuits from scratch. He can whip up a mean egg white omelet. He makes terrific blueberry pancakes. He makes the best home fries.
But I like to call them unfries because they're not fried. They are baked. And boy, are they good!
Really, his weekend breakfasts with a good pot of French press coffee were the only reasons I'd get up before 10 a.m. That was before Josie. Now, those breakfasts are what I look forward to as I balance a baby on my hip and search for my glasses at 7 a.m. on Sunday.
Even Josie's digging these first family meals, especially the home unfries. What can I say? Girl likes her some potatoes.
So without further rambling, here's Chris to guest host this edition of "Weekend recipe." Take it away!

Home Unfries
Hi! The Breakfast Master here.
Breakfasts and grilled meat. That's what men do -- mostly because it is basic and you can do it with a beverage (coffee or beer) in one hand. I think the cavemen discovered this.
Regardless, I have to say it is satisfying to prepare something for my daughter that she really digs and I can feel pretty good about. Here goes:
Time
About 20 minutes
Ingredients and Equipment
- Two medium red potatoes
- Paprika (sweet)
- Flake salt (a pinch)
- 1 Tbs of canola oil
- A sharp knife
- A small mixing bowl and spatula
Directions
- Wash and slice the potatoes into sticks about 2 1/2 inches long and about 1/2 inch thick. Leave the skins.
- Place in bowl and microwave for three minutes (this is an optional step, but I find it makes the baking go a little faster and does not affect the taste).
- Drizzle canola oil on the potatoes and sprinkle with paprika and salt.
- Using a spatula, stir the potatoes in the bowl until they are evenly seasoned.
- Spread the potatoes flat on a baking sheet and place in an oven (or toaster oven) preheated to 425.
- After 10 minutes, flip the potatoes over.
- Continue to bake another five minutes or until golden brown.
- Place on paper towel or napkin on a plate to blot any excess oil and serve.

Thanks, babe! I'm already ready for next weekend.

Weekend recipe: apple cranberry jiggle

No, that's not Chris' pet name for me. Though, it wouldn't be the worst he's come up with.
It's my (belated, again) recipe that blends a distinct flavor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday with gelatin, a wiggly fun food.
Ever since I decided to be a super adult and cook my own Thanksgiving a handful of years back, I've been making the cranberry sauce from scratch. Dear goddess of the harvest, it is the easiest recipe on earth...that involves cranberries. And it is super delicious. I can't look at the canned stuff the same.
Bonus! This is a recipe that can be used by adults as well as kids, or kids of all ages, or all immature adults.
Apple Cranberry Jiggle
Psstttt...hey y'all adults...I bet if you add extra powdered gelatin and a couple or dozen shots of vodka, this would make a great holiday shooter. Just sayin'... I mean, who doesn't feel like they need a drink during family holidays?

Time
15 minutes to prep and cook; must chill overnight
Ingredients and Equipment
This is going to be a two-parter. The first recipe is for the cranberry sauce, from which you'll strain off some juice to then make the jiggle. Adults get a delicious relish and babies get a fruity snack.
For the cranberry sauce, you'll need:
- 1 12-oz package of fresh cranberries (so available right now in the produce section of your grocery store; please do not use canned)
- 1 cup of unsweetened apple juice (like Motts for Tots or the natural stuff)
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 8 whole cloves (optional)
- sauce pan

For the jiggle, you'll need:
- 1/4 cup water (room temp is fine)
- 1 1/4-oz packet OR 1 tablespoon of plain gelatin (may be a little hard to find; check the baking aisle of your grocery store)
- 1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
- 1/4 cup of strained cranberry sauce (just the liquid)
- sauce pan
- bowl
- sieve or other strainer
- 8-inch baking pan
- plastic wrap
Directions
To make the cranberry sauce:
- Add cranberries and 1 cup of apple juice to a sauce pan over medium heat.
- Mix in sugar and add cinnamon sticks and cloves.
- Bring to a simmer. Allow it to cook covered — though stir occasionally — until the berries have popped and softened and the mixture thickens into a syrupy stew.
- Remove from heat.

Magic

To make the jiggle:
- Mix the gelatin and water in a bowl.
- Once the cranberry sauce has cooled, ladle a portion into a sieve over a bowl and mash down to force out liquid. Strain 1/4 cup. (You can then add the mashed berry mixture back in with the rest of the cranberry sauce and store in the fridge.)

- Pour the cranberry sauce and 1 and 1/2 cups of apple juice into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Then, remove from heat.

- Add the juices to the gelatin in the bowl and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved.

- Pour the mixture into the baking pan, cover with plastic wrap (careful not to let the wrap touch the top of the mixture) and place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

- Once the gelatin has set, cut into postage stamp-sized squares and serve.

My grandma's old bake ware still works

Quick warning: This jiggle is such a pretty color, but less pretty once you realize how easily it stains clothes. Thus, bibs are a must...maybe for the adults, too, especially if there's vodka involved.

Weekend recipe: back to basics

First off, an apology. Sorry this weekend recipe is late. I'm not a fan of tardiness (Thanks Kim Zolciak for making that word hip). I'm also not a fan of tummy bugs, and this bug was mean and nasty. Let's just say I was in no shape to write, much less think, about food.
But after swigging some Pedialyte and balling up on the couch for 36 hours, I'm on the mend. And I'm ready to talk baby food makin'. Let's get it on.
When I decided to make Josie's food, I knew I wanted her first bite to be something nutritious, gentle and sweet but not too sugary. So I picked sweet potato.
Whatever you pick, making purees is actually pretty easy, is cheaper than buying premade, doesn't require any special kitchen appliances (as long as you have, pots and pans and a blender or food processor) and takes less time than slapping on sweats and shoes and driving to the grocery store.
Back to basics
Here's the basic recipe for any single fruit or veggie puree. For first stage food, the texture should be similar to cream. Once baby has been introduced to a variety and has moved on to stage two, you are free to mix and match as you please. Also, if you find yourself lacking ideas, go peruse the baby food aisles.
Time
30 minutes or less
Ingredients and Equipment
Here's where you have options. I'm lucky enough to have access to a farmers market from summer to mid-fall, and I really enjoyed picking out produce that was in season. I knew it was fresh and flavorful. But truth be told, I found some frozen vegetables worked just as well. I never used canned because of the high salt content and general not-fresh flavor.
I've listed some of our favorite fruits and vegetables, though feel free to run wild.
- Fresh vegetable: Sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, broccoli
- Frozen vegetable: sweet peas, green beans, lima beans, spinach
- Fresh fruits: peaches, mango, apple, blueberries, pears (fruits such as bananas and avocados can be pureed and served raw)
- Frozen fruits: peaches, mango, blueberries, cherries
- Steamer pot, stew pot, oven or microwave
- blender or food processor
- sieve (optional)
Directions
Again, more options when it comes to cooking methods.
- Wash all fruits and vegetables and remove any peels, skins, rinds or seeds. Then, cut into manageable pieces.
- Steaming: great for squash, carrots, broccoli. Place pieces in a slotted or colander like basket over boiling water, cover and cook until tender.
- Baking: great for sweet potatoes, yams or any kind of potato. (In a hurry? Just prick some holes in the skin with a fork, pop in the microwave and nuke until the flesh is tender. Cut in half and scoop out.)
- Stewing: great for any fruit or frozen vegetables. Add a little water to the pot and simmer until tender.
You see, tender is the optimal condition here.
- Puree: Place the fruit or vegetable in a blender or food processor. Thin with breastmilk, formula or cooking liquid and blend until smooth.
- Strain: This is really only necessary for stringy or fibrous vegetables and fruits (green beans, mango, sweet peas)
- Store: Pour purees into ice cube trays and allow them to freeze overnight. Pop out the cubes (pre-portioned; about a tablespoon each) into a plastic freezer bag, label and keep up to a month.
Ta da! Now get on it, y'all!

Weekend recipe: baby quiche

The other day I was soliciting breakfast ideas for Josie after falling into a rut of cereal and fruit. Thanks to kind hearted readers, I am regaining my mojo. Josie thanks you, too.

One of the ideas that has gone over really well so far is from my coworker Lisa. She said to bake eggs in a muffin pan, like quiches. I tweaked the idea by adding cottage cheese, which Josie is crazy about.

These quiches won my heart because they are easy to make, easy to store and made with whole foods. Josie fell in love with their eggy, cheesy goodness.

Breakfast bachelor No.1, step up and introduce yourself.

Baby Quiche

(Does not contain real baby)

Time

15 minutes

Ingredients and Equipment

This recipe should yield six quiches.

- 6 egg yolks (save the whites for a healthy grown-ups' omelet)

- 1 heaping cup cottage cheese

- pinch of dried chives (optional)

- muffin pan

Directions

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, cottage cheese and chives. Pour the mixture evenly into a muffin pan and bake at 375 degrees for about 5-10 minutes, until the tops are firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

(NOTE: I didn't use a nonstick muffin pan and discovered I should have sprayed the bottom with oil. Also, my muffin pan had 12 muffin cups. So, I poured a little water into the six empty cups so that the heat would be even. I think the water also added some steam and helped keep the quiches from drying out.)

Weekend recipe: turkey meatballs

I need to air something out straight away: This recipe was inspired by those soft processed meat sticks sold as toddler food but are really Vienna sausages.

Now, let me explain. My husband and I passed them on a recent trip for baby supplies and I remember thinking, "Wow! Are those what I think they are? For babies?"

And while the snacks are marketed as healthy, easy ways to get your child to eat meat, I think you could still smoosh them onto a Ritz cracker and dot them with hot sauce.

But enough judgment, they got me thinking about what I could make that would deliver protein, allow Josie to eat with her hands and give me piece of mind that there are no unrecognizable animal parts (or lots of salt) in them.

To make it more of a challenge on myself, I also began plotting a way to sneak in vegetables. Not that I'm really worried about Josie rejecting veggies...yet. It's just that I've got a freezer of vegetable purees, she no longer will stand to be fed. (This goes back to her recent discovery of I-can-do-it-myself-edness.)

For more inspiration, I looked to my dad. While there are tons of trickery cook books out today that have recipes for brownies concealing spinach or mac'n'cheese(n'carrots), my dad invented "the sneak" as far as I'm concerned. I'm not braggin' or nothing. He was a master of getting veggies in very non-veggie stuff.

Though, to be fair, points would have to be deducted for his meatballs that were either alien shades of green or orange thanks to the plants lurking inside. The meatballs tasted great and, fortunately, my brother and I were intrigued by the color spectrum they painted on our plates.

Turkey meatballs

This recipe can make meatballs for the whole family. I made them for dinner in two sizes: nickel-sized for baby and tangerine-sized for grown-ups. I mixed one big batch out of the raw ingredients, but cooked them differently. For babies, I simmered them in unsalted chicken broth until they were thoroughly poached. For grown-ups, I baked them and then added them to a spicy marinara.

Time

Less than an hour

Ingredients and Equipment

- 1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey (We used very lean, 93/7 blend)

- 1 piece of whole wheat bread, dried out and pulsed into crumbs in a food processor

- 1 egg

- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

- 2 cubes pureed butternut squash (about two tablespoons)

- 2 cubes pureed sweet green peas (about two tablespoons)

- salt-free Italian herb seasoning (just a few pinches)

- several cups of salt-free or low sodium chicken broth

- food processor

- sauce pot

- slotted spoon

Directions

- Mix the ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg, olive oil, vegetable purees and seasoning in a mixing bowl. Combine using your hands to make sure everything is incorporated, but do not go crazy and over mix.

- Roll nickel-sized meatballs in the palms of your hands until relatively smooth. Lay them on parchment paper or a plate or really any clean, flat surface

- Bring the chicken broth up to a steady simmer, NOT A BOIL. Liquid that is bubbling and rolling too rapidly could cause the meatballs to break apart.

- Add just a few raw meatballs at a time to the simmering broth. They should float to the top, but make sure they have fully cooked before removing them. I allowed mine to simmer for at least 10 minutes (out of an abundance of caution). You may want to test the first one or two to make sure you have the timing down.

- Let cool and serve. I cut them in half for Josie, but older kids may be OK with whole ones.

As Josie gets older, I think I'll experiment with sauces and presentation, but I still think I may be employing "the sneak."

Weekend recipe: cheesy tomato pasta

Last week, one of Josie's daycare teachers told us that she has started "chewing" her food more — quite a feat for someone who STILL has no teeth. "I think she's wanting something a little more...chunky," she said.

And I've noticed Josie setting a pick more and more when I'm feeding her purees and stage 2 foods. She wants to grab the spoon. She wants to grab handfuls of puree. She wants to finger paint and style her hair with it. But she does not want to eat it.

So, I promised to start making more toothsome...no, gumsome...foods for Josie. I know that there are stage 3 foods out there, but after looking at the labels I've decided to avoid them if I can. It seems this is the stage where the unpronounceable ingredients appear. Not to say I'm against ever using them, but I haven't found a reason to yet.

This afternoon, I turned to a few mommy how-to books for guidance. I tried out two recipes and both seem to have turned out fairly well. I'm posting the one Josie gobbled up for lunch.

Cheesy Tomato Pasta

(Adapted from What to Expect the First Year)

Time

20 minutes or less

Ingredients and Equipment

- 2 or 3 ounces of pasta, preferably whole wheat and small in shape

(I used one called ditalini, but you could use small penne and slice it up after it has cooked)

- 1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil

- 1 ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and diced

- 1 tablespoon of cottage cheese

- 1/4 cup of shredded cheese such as cheddar

- small saute pan

- food processor

Directions

- Cook pasta in boiling water until very soft (not al dente)

- Peel tomato by placing it in simmering water for a couple of minutes and then directly into cold water. The skin should slip right off.

- Squeeze out the seeds and cut into small pieces. Saute in olive oil, on medium heat for a couple of minutes.

- Remove the tomato from heat and stir in cottage cheese and shredded cheese, stirring to make a sauce.

- Mix pasta and sauce

- Blend to desired texture in the food processor

IF YOUR BABY CAN HANDLE LARGE, SOFT PIECES AND IS GOOD AT SELF-FEEDING: Mix the pasta and sauce, let it cool and serve. Since Josie is just moving up to chunky food, I put the pasta and sauce in a food processor — but just long enough to blend everything into pea-sized pieces.

Also, I found my tomato gave off a lot of water. But that was fine because I was blending everything. If you're serving this to an older baby who doesn't need blended food, you may want to drain some of the juice off the sauteed tomato before adding the cheeses.

YUM!

Weekend recipe: peaches and mango

Josie is a big fan of fruit with cereal, either oatmeal or barley, for breakfast on weekdays.

One of her all-time favorites this summer has been peaches. We were fortunate enough to get Chilton County, Ala., peaches at our farmers market (Eat it Georgia! Chilton County peaches are DA BEST!). So the other day, when our grocery store had some good looking, ripe mangoes on sale , I scooped one up. Turns out mangoes and peaches make a great combination.

Peaches and Mango

(Moms, I think you are also going to like this one. Yes, for yourself. Because when baby's down for a nap, just sneak two frozen cubes of the puree into a fluted glass and top with prosecco or sparkling wine for a delicious bellini.)

Time

Less than 20 minutes prep to finish

Ingredients and Equipment

- About 3 large, ripe peaches or 5 smaller ones (Ripeness is important because you don't want to add sweeteners, especially processed sugar, to baby foods.)

- One ripe mango

- Blender/food processor

- Saucepan

- Ice cube trays

Directions

- Peel and dice peaches and mango

- Add to saucepan and cook on medium heat (You don't need to add any liquid because, if the fruit is ripe, it will release its own juice. But if your baby requires a thinner puree, go ahead and add a little water. More can be added during the blending.)

- Stir occasionally so fruit does not burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. Once fruit starts to soften and bubble, turn off heat and let cool.

- Puree in a blender or food processor to the desired texture: total puree for wee ones, chunky for older babies

- Pour into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, you can transfer the cubes to an airtight, plastic bag to keep in your freezer for a couple of months (if it lasts that long).

Weekend recipe: spinach and potato

Josie has quickly grown out of the stage 1 foods and is loosing interest with stage 2. Meaning she's starting to prefer different textures and foods she can shovel into her mouth.

She's still eating mostly purees, but I'm trying to spice them up now with new flavor combinations and some seasoning. (NO SALT though)

Since I am an amateur, I like to check out the baby food aisles of my grocery store for ideas. I also like to think of ways to prepare baby-appropriate versions of foods my family enjoys.

So, this weekend I came up with this:

Spinach and Potato*

(Saag Aloo, for you Indian food junkies like me. "They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said, "Naan. Naan. Naan. Oops, tangent.)

*I'd like to caution you before I begin that you may be annoyed at my lack of measuring ingredients. I play fast and loose like that.

Time

Eh. Less than half an hour from prep to finish.

Ingredients and Equipment

-1 package frozen spinach

(While I usually opt for fresh produce, frozen spinach is a better deal. All the nutrients are there and you get more. I hate buying a big bunch of fresh spinach only to see it wilt down into less than a cup.)

-5 small red potatoes

-about a cup or so of sodium-free chicken broth

(I made my own by boiling a chicken, which I used to make chicken baby food. Recipe TBA)

-1/8 to 1/4 tsp of cumin

(If your babe is not a fan of spice, you can omit this. Or feel free to pick your own. Another good seasoning would be sodium-free poultry seasoning. If you and your little one are more adventurous, add a tiny bit of grated garlic)

-ice cube tray

-blender

Directions

-Peel and dice potatoes

-Place potato pieces in sauce pan. Add package of frozen spinach (No need to preheat. Do not drain. Just chuck the whole thing in).

-Add broth and seasoning

-Cook on medium heat and covered until potato pieces are fork tender

-Let cool, then puree in blender. (Mine turned out the consistency of pudding. If your baby prefers thinner purees, add water, formula or breast milk.)

-Portion out into ice cube tray and freeze

(I like this method of freezing because I can pop the cubes into a freezer bag, take out as many as I need the night before and let them thaw in the refrigerator. Cubes can last a month or two.)