Saturday 29 December 2012

Baby New Year

If you, like me, think time flies too fast when you have kids, thank your lucky stars your tot wasn’t this year’s Baby New Year.  If so, December 31 would find him elderly and decrepit like his associate Father Time, or so the most common “Baby New Year” myth goes.  From new born to old man in one year?  What age would that make his parents at December 31st?  An archaeologist’s jackpot excavation find perhaps?

The new year babe is most commonly depicted as a baby boy wearing nothing but a diaper, top hat and sash noting the year of his reign.  Picture the Miss America talent competition but with baby boys and years instead of big hair and states.
The old December 31st. baby then passes the torch to the brand new baby of the next year signifying the rebirth of a new year and the passing of the old and bored one.

 
It’s also a time when people make resolutions to better themselves and start anew.  Although I haven’t really asked my kids what their 2013 resolutions are yet, if I were to imagine, I think they would go something like this…

 

 
And my resolution for 2013 is to buckle down and get this baby food cook book written!

Ready…Set…Evolve…

Green Beans & Carrot Combo

 
Age – 6 months +

Ingredients

·         2 large carrots chopped

·         1 ½ cups chopped green beans

·         1 tbsp. of butter

Baby Steps

1.      Peel and chop carrots and place in steamer set over boiling water.  Cook for 10 mins.

2.      Clean and trim stem ends off of green beans and chop into thirds.

3.      Add green beans to carrots in steamer pot and continue to cook another 8 minutes or until veggies are tender.

4.      Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

5.      Transfer veggies to a food processor, blender or bowl to use hand held blender to puree.  Add the butter and 3 tbsps. of the cooking water used to steam the veggies. Puree to a smooth consistency.

6.      Transfer puree to freezing trays and put in the freezer to be used within 3 months, along with some in a food storage container in the fridge to use within 48 hours.

Makes – Approx. 10 Servings (1 serving = 2 tbsps.)

Happy New Year to one and all and thanks for reading!!!  Maybe we can uncover a secret to keeping 2013’s Baby New Year younger for longer and in turn grant us some more luxurious time this year?  Let’s offer him up a Smartie every day that he doesn’t age.  That may do the trick.

Saturday 22 December 2012

I Made it Myself


 
Tis the season for…
Cutting an inch off the bottom of a hardy real Christmas tree to ensure the mighty green giant’s thirst is quenched with water, while our’s is quenched with eggnog.

 
Finding glitter in all the wrong places courtesy of glitter flocked greetings from loved ones, friends and co-workers.  Expect to find the fairy dust on the kitchen table, passenger car seat, bath tub, dog’s bed, and baby’s pacifier.

 
Receiving those cherished homemade ornaments from the kids and watching their excitement as they trim the tree with their precious craft.  We have 10 year old toddler do-it-yourself ornaments still making their way back onto the tree year after year courtesy of my older boy Eric.  How the popcorn garland continues to stay together through all the set up and take down ceremonies is a mystery to me.  It’s a Christmas miracle. 

I remember one year I made the most hideous grey corduroy heart shaped ornament for my parents using left over fabric that I had on hand from the equally hideous grey corduroy drawstring tote I made in home economics class.  I added a heartfelt sentiment in silver glitter, and a hanging string to ensure it’s annual placement on the lucky bough of our family Christmas tree.  I know they probably thought it was an eye sore, but somehow it continued to make it’s cameo on our tree year after year.  Thanks Mom and Dad.  Now I know why.

 
Tis always the season for making baby food.  Today’s recipe is an easy cottage cheese and berries concoction that your older baby of 8 months+ can enjoy once you know they don’t have any dairy sensitivities.  Cultured cheeses and cheeses made from pasteurized milk such as cottage cheese, ricotta, cream cheese and hard cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan are your safest choices when introducing your baby to cheese.  Stay away from other varieties that are made with raw milk such as brie, feta and blue cheese as these “soft” cheeses may carry bacteria called listeria.  For more info. about introducing cheese into your babies diet see the Wholesome Baby Food website.

Ready…Set…Evolve…

Sweet Berry Dream

 
Age – 8 months +

Ingredients

·         1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries (greens removed)

·         ½ cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

·         1 tbsp. of cottage cheese at serving time

Baby Steps

1.      Add strawberries and blueberries to small sauce pan.  Cook over medium heat stirring often until tender and juicy, approx. 8 minutes if using frozen berries and 5 minutes if using fresh.

2.      Remove from heat and transfer to bowl to use hand held blender to puree.

3.      At serving time add 1 tbsp. of the berry mixture to 1 tbsp. of the cottage cheese.

4.      Stir together, serve, and watch baby’s face light up with glee.

Note:  Berry puree can be stored in the fridge for up to 48hrs.  It can also be frozen, so if you plan on freezing it then make double or triple this recipe and freeze in freezing trays to be used within 3 months.

Makes – Approx. 9 servings of berry puree

 
From my family to your’s, I want to wish you all a wonderful holiday season filled with family, friends and all of your favourite things.  Including the most hideous hand crafted ornament from your little one that is actually the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.  Kind of like E.T.