Baby Food, First Foods

This is the first of many post on baby food. I follow two things on this subject; exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months (WHO & AAP) and Super Baby Food by Ruth Yarin.

First foods is the first step. I start with avocados first. Many people don't believe you can freeze them, oh, but you can. Buy them up on sale mash them and freeze. I did this months ahead and was ready to go when Wren was ready.

Next is rice cereal. I bought organic 'quick' cereal for a long time this time around because of our hectic May and June. Once our lives calmed down then I was able to make my own brown rice porridge. More details to come on this.

Other first foods in my book include organic whole milk yogurt, sweet potatoes (sweets pots), applesauce, and banana.
Here are my baby dishes. Two sizes of glass bowls, cheese jar for a glass, and spoons.

Food is not just for energy but it is also an area of training. Having a food that they learn to pinch and feed themselves is vitally important. They will not be spoon feed their whole lives so start from the get go that they are to learn to be self sufficient. I use puff easy melt things for the first month or so then move on to Cheerios.

More is soon to come. If you doubt this I dont blame you. I have the pictures uploaded so hopefully in the next few days you will learn about fruits and veggies. Until then, good night.

Kansas City loven

What's for lunch? BBQ brisket!

Tomorrow we are hosting a lunch for our missionaries to India/Nepal Doug and Bethany Pearson. Rebecca Toti helped plan this meal, she knew what kind of food Doug would enjoy. I love KC BBQ and love that we can make it our selves instead of catering. I love showing love through the work of hands and the opening of our home. Elizabeth George prays over the rooms of her home that God could use them to His glory. I have been following this wise woman in preparing. I want to be Martha today and Mary tomorrow.

BBQ Brisket for 30

10 pound brisket (Costco $1.99/lb), actually needs 15 lbs for lunch and if a dinner 20 lbs

buns

Jackstack sauce

pickles

Jackstack beans

Potato salad

Mixed fruit and Rebecca Toti's dip

Smokestack Beans

4 slices bacon

1 (40 ounce) can pork & beans, drained

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced onion

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon mustard

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 cup barbecue sauce, obviously Jackstack :-)

1/4 cup sorghum

On low 4-8 hours in crock pot. Jackstack's secret to making it takes like the restaurant is adding brisket tidbits and some dripping.

Stuffed Shells

What's for dinner? Stuffed Shells

I love to plan ahead and have meals ready in the freezer. This is always a good thing but with having a baby around you never quite know how the day is gonna go. I currently have 3 meals ready to go: buttermilk herb chicken, lentil shepherd's pie, and these stuffed shells.

Stuffed Shells

1# burger

1 onion, diced

1 can or 1 handful mushrooms, chopped

1 t garlic pwdr

1 pkg chopped spinach

2 c cottage cheese

1 1/2 t dried parsley

1 c parm cheese

pepper

1 box jumbo shells

1 jar spaghetti sauce

2 c mozz cheese

Cook together first 4 ingred. and drain. Mix in the rest but the sauce and pasta.

Stuff into jumbo shells and place in a 9x13, or 2 8x8. Top with sauce then mozz cheese. Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly.

My quiet time

While the four children in my house are supposed to be sleeping I will take a moment of quiet time to tell all of you what is on my 'to make' list. I wish this included the quilt I am working on or the 1 1/2 years of scrapbooking to be done. Alas...

For the cookout tomorrow strawberry Chantilly.

http://senceanddollars.blogspot.com/2010/07/cold-desserts.html

Baby food for Wren: applesauce, carrots, acorn squash

Stuffed shells, which I will divid into 2 pie pans and put one in the freezer. I am going to try a new recipe from allrecipes. I already cooked the burger yesterday so I just have to cook the pasta and put it together. I will try to post how it is.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stuffed-Shells-IV/Detail.aspx?prop31=4

Another thing for the freezer is a once a month cooking recipe for buttermilk herb chicken. I love these type of recipes because when chicken is on sale you freeze the meat in meal sizes with the marinade so while it thaws it takes on the flavor. Then cook it when you are ready.

http://onceamonthmom.com/buttermilk-herb-chicken-breasts/

I have lots of fruit and veggies to cut, cook, whip, and clean up from so I better get to it.

Butter in the house

I have not posted in a long time and while my ladies are resting I thought I would say, "hello world."

I have not been buying a lot of butter lately because of the cost. $2.40 to $2.90 per pound is pretty pricey. We enjoyed BLT's and corn on the cob yesterday for dinner so therefore butter was a must for the corn. It was a great dinner for a hot day. Since Guy got the butter at Costco we have 4#! Today I could not help my self, there is butter in the house.... let's bake! I threw together a rhubarb custard pie and a blueberry coffee cake for mom's group on Thursday. The pie is a recipe from Granny Eva, the wonderful baker our Eva was named after.

Rhubarb Custard Pie

2 recipes of pie crust

4 c. 1/2 pieces of rhubarb

1/3 c. flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/4 t nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten

1 T milk

Put rhubarb in unbaked pie shell.

Mix dry, mix wet, and mix together well. Pour over rhubarb. Then dot with 1 T butter.

Seal the top with second pie crust. Bake 400 for 50-60 min.

This gets soggy if done to far ahead of time so make it fresh. Enjoy!

Jean's Pie Crust

1 c. flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 c cold butter, cut up

1 egg

1 T vinegar

6 T cold water

Cut fat into flour and salt.

Blend wet, and add one tablespoon at a time until it just holds together. Form into disc and refridge until chilled.

For 2 pie crust- double fat and flour but there is enough liquid you don't have to double.

Runza

What's for dinner, Runzas!

One of the many things the Bailey family has blessed me with is runzas. I asked a few questions but was on my own to wing it. I feel that I have really mastered the art. The pictures are from last April. Eva would not eat them at dinner but then loaded them into her Easter basket and then after a few bites gave a grin. Sweet girl who loves bread.

Rapid mix cool rise white bread, or you can use frozen bread dough

4-6 c flour

1 T & 1/2 t salt

1/4 c butter/marg, soft

2 T & 1 t sugar

3 packets (2T & 3/4t) active dry yeast

2 c warm (110 degree) water

Mix water, yeast, and sugar...let bloom. Put all other ingred in mixer with dough hook. Pour in water mixture. On speed 2 let mix/knead until sides of bowl are clean. Add 1/2 c flour at a time until bowl is clean. When you touch the dough it should be soft, smooth, and not sticky. Let rest covered 20 minutes while you make the filling. Can be made a head and left in the fridge covered.

Filling:

2# burger

1 onion, diced

1 head of cabbage, finely diced

salt/pepper

I cut the cabbage into hunks and whirl through the food processor until fine. The other way I have done it is in the blender but I had to add water to get it to whirl, then squeeze out the water. Brown the burger with the onion. When brown, drain meat and add cabbage until looks about half and half, cook until tender.

To assemble:

Divid the dough into 10 equal sized balls or 5oz each if using a scale. Flatten each ball of dough wide enough to hold 3/4 c or 4 oz of the meat mixture. Fold dough around the meat, seal the bottom, and place smooth side up on a greased cookie sheet or stone. Bake at 350 25-30 minutes until golden. I butter the tops because butter is good!

Soup X2

What's for dinner, soup x2!

It is cold and snowy... time for soup. I made 2 favorites yesterday. I divided a package of kielbasa and a 5# bag of red potatoes into them. Oh, I made some mashed potatoes as well. Mix up the golden potato and while it cooks prep white bean potato for a crock pot dinner tomorrow. The golden potato also freezes really well, I doubted that it but in deed it does!

Golden Potato Soup, adapted from allrecipes.com

2# (6 cups) red potatoes, diced

1 c onion, diced

1 c celery diced

1/2 package of kielbasa sausage, diced

2 c chicken broth or water and bouillon

1 t parsley

salt/pepper

Put all ingredients in dutch oven, cover, cook until potatoes are soft. Whisk together:

1 1/2 T flour

3 c milk or 3 c water and 1 c powdered milk

Pour into pot and bring to a boil. Remember milk burns easily. Then add:

1 1/2 c cheddar cheese

1/2 package of kielbasa sausage, diced

Stir until cheese is melted and enjoy!

White bean potato soup, adapted from allrecipes.com

1 # white bean, soaked overnight and drained

2# red potatoes, diced

1/2 package of kielbasa sausage, diced

5 cups chicken broth or water and bouillon

1 c onion, diced

2-3 T Italian seasoning

2-3 T garlic powder

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

Optional: 1 bunch of kale

Salt/pepper

This is easy prep so everything is ready to dump in the crock pot in the morning. Put beans in bowl and cover with a lot of water. Put broth, potatoes, sausage, and seasoning in crock and place in the fridge. In the morning drain the beans and put them in the crock. Place the crock in the crock pot and let sit on low all day. Add the tomatoes at the end because the acid will keep the beans from cooking. Enjoy!