The Great Escape

It’s been a few weeks.  I owe you something big.

I owe you something lofty.

I owe you something majestic.

If you can’t tell by now, I made a great escape to the mountains.  I left hubby, kids and dog to fend for themselves for 4 days while I went to visit my friend and the mountains in Calgary Alberta.

It was the longest time I’ve spent away from my little one in all of the 2 ½ years of his life.  4 days was good, a week may have been a bit too long, but the escape was perfect.

I have never seen the mountains before, so to experience the almost haunting drive into Banff  contemplating what those immense grey shadows in the sky off in the distance were was perplexing to say the least.  The enormity and sheer alien nature of them as we got closer and closer was overwhelming.

Have you ever been on a road trip, taking in the scenery and in a moment of silence the music floating through the car speakers fits your experience so perfectly it’s as if you’re watching a movie that you are in?  This was the case when my friend slipped in the Mumford and Sons cd “Sigh No More” on our journey through the rocks, for lack of a better term. 

Road trip + friend + silence + breathtaking view + this…

= perfection

It was certainly unnatural to be away on my own without the kids in tow.  I kept imagining Carter was in the backseat incessantly asking me to help him put his little sunglasses on and when I turn him down because I have a road to focus on he turns to the dog and asks him to help.  I often wonder if the dog actually spoke the words “sure”, and then lifted his fingerless paws to help Carter put on his sunglasses, would Carter be shocked or just say, “thank you Hogie.”?

I’m home sweet home now.  Back to work, back to home renos, back to kids, dogs and the misguided allure of Saturday night as it turns into an opportunity to catch up on sleep instead of life.

I think I’m just about caught up on sleep for the moment so I thought I’d better get caught up on this blog.

Here goes.

Ready…Set…Evolve…

Bambino Chicken Cacciatore

Age – 8 months +

Ingredients

·         1 tbsp. of butter

·         1 boneless skinless chicken breast

·         ½ cup tiny pasta such as alphabet

·         2 tomatoes

·         ½ cup diced onion

·         ½ cup diced zucchini

·         ½ cup diced carrots

·         1 cup low sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock

·         ½ tsp. dried basil or 3 fresh basil leaves chopped

Baby Steps

1.      Peel and seed tomatoes using the boiling water method and set aside.

2.      Peel and chop carrots, onions and zucchini and set aside.

3.      Cut chicken into small cubes and set aside.

4.      Heat butter in large saucepan over medium/high heat and add chicken and cook until no longer pink inside, approx. 8 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

5.      Reduce heat to medium and add all veggies to pan except the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes until onions begin to soften.

6.      Add tomatoes, basil and chicken stock to pan and stir well.

7.      Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium/low, cover and continue to cook for approx. 25 minutes until carrots are tender.

8.      Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions but leave out the salt.  Once done, drain water and set aside.

9.      Use a hand held blender to puree the cooked chicken to a crumbly texture.  If baby is older than 10 months you can use a knife and fork to cut the chicken into tiny pieces baby can handle instead of pureeing.

10.  Once the cooking time on the veggie mixture is complete, remove from heat and transfer to a blender, food processor or bowl to use hand held blender to puree into a sauce.

11.  Return sauce to pan along with cooked chicken and pasta.  Stir well and cook for a few minutes until warmed through, approx. 5 minutes on medium/low heat.

12.  Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.  Transfer to freezing trays in the freezer to be used within 3 months or into a food storage container in the fridge to be used within 48 hrs.

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

One of my favourite books is Dr. Suess’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” I’ve read it to myself a million times and of course to my kids.  “Kid, you’ll move mountains.”  Now I understand just how majestic a statement that is.

North American Beauties

I’m often struck with a hunger pang at approximately 12:30pm. each day at work, so I take last night’s dinner, which I tidily packed in a food storage container, to the office lunch room to heat up.  9 times out of ten the one office microwave serving 30 employees has a frozen t.v. dinner inside that still has 6 minutes to go, plus 2 more waiting on the counter beneath along with the watchful eyes of those who placed them there.  All I need is a measly minute 40?  Still, I along with countless others in the Western World return each day around the same time because it’s the most common time of day to have lunch.  I wish I could force feed myself cabbage soup at 9:45 am.  But alas, I cannot.

Luckily defrosting homemade baby food cubes takes no time at all really.  About a minute on a speed defrost setting should do it.  Not that defrosting baby food and waiting at work for the microwave have anything to do with each other but I was aching for a segue.

Today I’m making blueberry puree with fresh mashed banana.  This brings back fond memories for me.  It was one of the first baby foods I made for my son.  He loved it.

Blueberries are filled with antioxidants, vitamin C and potassium and are a good source of fibre.  They truly are North American beauties as they are one of the few fruits that are native to the continent.  Add some fresh mashed banana and you have an amazing baby super food which is extremely easy to prepare.

Blue Monkey

Age – 6 months +

Ingredients

·         1 ½ cups of fresh blueberries

·         Freshly mashed banana to add to each serving

·         Yes, that’s it.

Baby Steps

1.      Clean and rinse blueberries and add to a small saucepan along with 2 tbsps. of water.

2.      Turn heat to medium low and cook uncovered stirring often until blueberries are soft and juice is bubbly, about 5 minutes.

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

4.      Transfer to a bowl and use a hand held blender to puree.

5.      If you want to remove the skins altogether press the puree through a sieve and discard the skins.

6.      You can keep the puree in food storage containers in the fridge for up to 48 hours, or in the freezer in freezing trays for up to 3 months.

7.      To complete the dish, take 1 portion of the blueberry puree, either fresh from the fridge or defrosted from the freezer and warm up slightly.  Mash ½ a ripe banana well and add the blueberry puree.

8.      The 1 portion of blueberry puree along with the ½ banana mashed should make enough for 2 servings so split in two and give baby one portion then refrigerate the rest for later in the day.

Makes 10 servings – (1 serving = 1 tbsp. of blueberry puree to add to mashed banana)

Notes

-          It’s not advised to freeze the blueberry and banana together as banana doesn’t freeze well as a puree and will discolour.  So you can still freeze the blueberry puree into cubes and then just defrost and add to freshly mashed banana when ready to serve.

-          When you’re working with blueberries, especially when pureeing them, make sure to cover yourself up with an apron or your best duds (I know we all get gussied up when cooking baby food) could be permanently coloured in a vibrant blueberry hue.  This goes back to a discovery made by the Northeast Native American Tribes when they discovered that blueberry juice made an excellent dye for baskets and clothes.

Tomorrow’s Monday.  Back to work.  Back to the lone microwave.  I think I’ll pack PB and J.

Boys

I’ve always wanted a little girl.  A little mini-me to mould into a strong, smart and caring adult and a confidant to take along on shopping trips who understands the value of a pretty little dress.

I have 2 boys.  2 boys, 10 years apart in age and funnily enough, both who don’t wear pretty little outfits that swing up when they turn around.  Running shoes are more their speed.

We went on a family road trip for my older son Eric’s hockey tournament last weekend and had lots of fun doing boy things.  We arrived at our destination early so we went to the nearest mall to pass some time.  We by passed windows of beautiful colour and style and found ourselves inside a sports store.  We purchased a mini basketball net for inside the hotel room because if there’s down time in between the 53 hockey games scheduled over the next 3 days what would they do if they didn’t have another sport to pass the time?  After we left the sports store I hinted at hitting another girl friendly shop and my son said, “mom, we have all weekend, you should save some shopping excitement for tomorrow.”  So we grabbed a quick lunch instead and the only opportunity I had to go shopping for the rest of the weekend was to grab more Gatorade and fulfill snack requests for items we didn’t seem to already have in the room.

I must admit, the boys do provide lots of entertainment.  At the restaurant Eric was very impressed with the glass his chocolate milk was served in.  It was a glass that was curved like the leaning tower of Pisa but you could barely tell it was chocolate milk as it was just off-white in colour rather than a rich chocolaty hue.  He apprehensively took his first sip through the straw and exclaimed, “100% for presentation, 0% flavour.”

We also had my 2yr. old asking us, “can I have a Jeffrey, can I have a Jeffrey?”  What on earth did he mean?  We came to find out Eric was eating a big chocolate chip muffin and when Carter asked what it was.  He told him, “it’s a Jeffrey”, knowing full well of his current stage of learning the proper names of things.

All in all it was a great weekend.  Carter loved watching his big brother play hockey and was a patient angel in between games.  I think he’s got the hockey bug in him now too.

Of course I love watching the games, hanging out with my boys and playing a game of 21 (mini basketball) or two.  Having grown up with no sisters myself, I know deep down I wouldn’t know what to do with a little girl after our shopping trip was over so I suppose all is as it should be.

O.K. time to make some baby food.

My 2 year old LOVES broccoli and cauliflower.  I think it may have to do with the fact that I made recipes like below for him as a baby all the time.  I didn’t however make Eric’s baby food way back when and now he is revolted by the sight of broccoli.  Hmmm?

Ready…Set…Evolve…

Veggie and Cheese Medley

Age – 6 months +

Ingredients

·         2 carrots

·         ¾ cup frozen peas

·         3 cups chopped broccoli

·         3 cups chopped cauliflower

Cheese Sauce

·         1 tbsp. of butter

·         1 tbsp. of flour

·         1 ½ cups of milk

·         ¾ cups medium cheddar shredded

Baby Steps

1.      Peel, clean and chop veggies

2.      Add carrots to a steamer set over boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.

3.      Add broccoli and cauliflower and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

4.      While veggies are steaming you can make the cheese sauce.

5.      Melt butter in medium sized pan and add in the flour.  Stir until it forms a smooth paste.

6.      Add in milk and stir until there are no lumps and the milk starts to thicken.  Approx. 3 minutes.

7.      Add in cheese and stir until melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.

8.      Once the 10 minutes of steaming is up after adding the broccoli and cauliflower, add in the peas and cook for 3 more minutes.

9.      Remove veggies from heat and transfer to a food processor, blender or bowl to use a hand held blender to puree.

10.  Add in cheese sauce and some of the cooking water 1 tbsp. at a time and puree to a smooth consistency.

11.  Let cool for a few minutes then transfer to freezing trays in the freezer to use within 3 months or to food storage containers in the fridge to use within 48 hours.

Makes - Approx. 16 Servings (1 serving = 2 tbsps.)

Once you get over the exhaustion, it’s actually nice having 2 boys with a 10 year age difference.  It’s like a live re-enactment of the past.  After witnessing some of my 2 yr. old’s tantrums, it inspired my 12 year old to say, “if I acted like that when I was his age I need to apologize”, and me to say, “if I lost my temper with you like that I need to apologize.”  Live and learn.

Dad

Dad is good

Dad is strong

He puts my laundry away where it belongs.

Dad is fun

Dad is silly

Thank you kindly for not naming me Willy. (not that there’s anything wrong with that name)

Dad is patient

Dad is kind

Except when my table manners are unrefined.

I love when you read to me

I love when we laugh

I owe you 5 minutes today to enjoy a draught.

You’re always so giving

And not often cranky

Now can you please go and get me my blankie?

Ready…Set…Evolve…

Daddy’s Day BBQ

Age – 8 months +

In honour of all those wonderful dad’s out there, we’re not going to toil away and make batches of baby food to freeze today.  Instead, baby can partake in the BBQ feast!

Let’s say the menu is BBQ’d chicken, baked potato, corn on the cob and steamed carrots.  Mix a bit of everything together with some butter and some of the cooking water used to steam the carrots, puree and baby’s dinner is served.

It really is as simple as that.  The corn and the carrots can be made indoors and then the rest is thrown on the BBQ. 

In a food processor, blender or large bowl to use a hand held blender to puree, add in some of the white meat without any skin from the cooked chicken, a scoop of some of the baked potato, 2 sides of corn that were shaved off the cooked corn on the cob, a few cooked carrots and a ½ tsp. of butter.  Add 3 tbsps. of the cooking water used to steam the carrots and puree to desired consistency.  If you want a thinner consistency you can add a bit more of the cooking water.

Voila!  BBQ for the whole family. 

If there are left overs of the puree you can keep it in the fridge for up to 48 hours so baby can have it for supper or lunch tomorrow too.

I want to wish all the amazing father’s and father figures (including my own and my husband) out there a very Happy Father’s Day!  Without you there would be a lot of mothers losing sanity, and a lot of kids wondering what beer is.

Baby Talk

Do you ever wonder what your baby is going to sound like when they start talking?  What type of voice will project from this tiny growing person?  I’m not talking about the exhilarating day they first say “mama” or “dada”, and the endless torment received by the losing parent for not getting their name broadcast by baby first.  I’m talking about a true string of words linked together in verbal communication.  “Goodnight Mommy”.  “Let’s go Daddy”.  “I hate broccoli”.  What will it sound like?

Now that my baby is 2 he’s full of things to say and we know exactly how it sounds…cute sometimes, incessant other times, and really funny most times.  The other day I introduced him to “Crispers”, which are cracker type chips.  Yes, if you recall I do allow my kids some nutritionally desolate snacks once in a while to keep it real.  The next day he asked, “Mommy, whispers please?”  What?  “Whispers please”.  Ah, got it.

We’ve been getting concerned with how he always uses his name instead of “I” when referring to himself.  “Carter do it”.  “Carter go to the park”.  “Carter don’t like it.”  We tried explaining to him to say “I want to go to the park”.  Then it dawned on us that when we talk to him we refer to ourselves as Mommy or Daddy.  “Mommy wants you to brush your teeth.”  “Daddy wants you to settle down.”  I guess he’s doing as well as can be expected linguistically.

We also have the added intricacy of international accents for Carter to decipher.  My husband is from the UK and I’m Canadian through and through so he definitely says some words exactly how Daddy says them and then others how the Canadian masses do.  “How does Daddy like his coffee?” Carter responds “Large, double, double.”  Very Canadian.  But then he pronounces his own name, “Kawta”.  Very UKian. 

Whenever we visit my in-laws in England my overly hospitable brother in-law offers to translate every word I say so no one is confused.  I say, “I have to run to the washroom.”  He says, “she said she has to run to the toilet”.  Confusion averted.

In keeping with the actual theme of this blog, let’s make some Apple Peach puree for baby.  This is a great one for the Solid Food Apprentices out there who are 6 months +.

Ready…Set…Evolve…

Apple of my Eye Peach Puree

Age – 6 months +

Ingredients

·         3 ripe peaches

·         3 apples (a sweet variety like Gala or Golden Delicious)

·         Yes, that’s it

Baby Steps

1.      Peel and slice peaches.  To peel, score and “X” on the bottom of the peaches and put them into a large bowl.  Pour boiling water in the bowl completely covering the peaches and let them sit for 1 minute.  Remove from water and rest on a cutting board for 30 seconds or so.  The skin should easily peel off if they were ripe peaches.  If they are giving you trouble, peel the rest with a paring knife or veggie peeler.

2.      Peel, core and slice apples into thin pieces.

3.      Add apples and peaches to a large saucepan.  Add 1 – 2 tbsps. of water if the peaches weren’t very ripe.  Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently for approx. 12 minutes or until the fruit is tender and juicy.

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

5.      Transfer to a blender, food processor or bowl to use a hand held blender to puree.

6.      Puree to a smooth consistency.

7.      Transfer to freezing trays and place in the freezer to be used within 3 months, or to a food storage container in the fridge to use within 48 hours.

Makes - 9 Servings (1 serving = 2 tbsps.)

No matter which accent they use to say it, when you hear a deliberate, “I love you” come from baby in your direction…well there’s not much in the world that can top that.

Balance

So it’s a little grey this weekend.

The flowers don’t mind.

We haven’t had rain in over 2 weeks.  Nope, just sunshine, lolly pops and butterflies for two weeks straight.  It’s time to sacrifice some bliss for a little grey.  The grey brings with it fresh rain for the flowers and their escape from the opposite of fresh pipe water that has to suffice while the barrels are dry.  It also brings with it a guilt free spell for us spent indoors doing things around the house without the sun screaming, “YOU SHOULD BE OUT HERE!!”.  No, the grey doesn’t scream, it gently allows you to go about your day.

It’s all about balance.  You have to take the good with the bad.  You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have The Facts of Life. I clearly watched too much t.v. growing up.  But you get what I’m saying.  If the universe was wonderful all the time our wonderful would become average.  The crappy days help to boost the otherwise average days to outstanding. 

I’ve just realized this is my 40^th post.  I began my quest of blogging baby food recipes last September to help generate the content for a baby food cook book I am writing in my spare time.  I’m happy to say the content is building up nicely, but I wish I had more time to start pulling everything together for the book.  Baby steps…all in due time. 

40 posts!?  Right from the beginning I vowed to try to make the blog interesting and more than just a diatribe on how to make baby food at home.  I would have never imagined I could come up with 40 things to talk about to entertain the masses.  And by masses I mean my husband, mom and dad, and friend’s great grandmother who read this blog.

Don’t worry, the book will be less about the history of Mr. Potato Head and the other tangents I run off on in this blog, and more about making amazing, fresh food for your baby at home.  However, I’m sure you will find hints of novelty throughout…it’s in my soul.  We’ll see.

That’s my cue for this week’s puree.  We’re going to do an Apple and Pear Puree with a hint of cinnamon for a little flavour experimentation for your older 8 month old baby.  If baby is 6-7 months you can leave the cinnamon out.  Spices are a nice way to add some flavour dimension to baby’s usual fare without adding salt.  Just wait until they are around 8 months, and you only need to add a tiny amount for baby to notice the flavour update.

Ready…Set…Evolve…

Apples, Pears and Everything Nice (cinnamon spice)

Age – 8 months +

Ingredients

·         4 Apples

·         4 Pears

·         ¼ tsp. Cinnamon Spice

Baby Steps

1.      Peel, core and slice apples and pears taking care to slice each fruit in pieces about the same size.

2.      Add apples to a large pot and add 3 tbsps. of water.  Turn heat on to medium high and cook for a few minutes until you start to hear a sizzling sound.  Turn heat down to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

3.      Add pears to the pot along with cinnamon and stir together with the apples.  Cover and continue to cook for another 15 minutes stirring often until fruit is bubbly, tender and juicy.

4.      Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.  Transfer to a blender, food processor or bowl to use hand held blender to puree.

5.      Puree to a smooth consistency.

6.      Let cool for a few minutes then transfer to freezing trays in the freezer to use within 3 months, or to a food storage container in the fridge to use within 48 hrs.

Makes – 18 servings  (1 serving = 2 tbsps.)

Note:  This recipe makes a lot but don’t worry, the older kids will love it and it’s also great for adults as a condiment on pork chops.

When choosing the apples, make sure to use a sweet variety like Gala rather than sour like Granny Smith or the tartness will make baby’s face turn inside out.  It will be funny, but probably not the best flavour experience for baby.  You’re probably better to watch Seinfeld reruns for a laugh instead.

I’m off to embrace the grey and do some housework.  Oooh…I can’t wait to see how this blah day will transform my otherwise mediocre day tomorrow to fantastic!!