Busy, busy, busy...

I've been super busy these last couple of weeks.

Actually, I feel like I've been busy most of the year!

First, let me start by introducing you to my new friend... My amazing husband got me a new sewing machine for our anniversary! The Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 875 Quilt machine to be exact. Please ignore my messy craft/dining room table. My favorite feature so far...? It's got about 4.5 inches of extra room under the arm compared to my little Kenmore! I have only played with it a little bit, so I'll tell you more later. But it has some pretty fancy features that I'm not used to yet... but I LOVE IT! :) I'm thinking this will be my new main quilting machine, and I'll use my other machine for little projects.

So, I've been busy working on last minute projects/gifts for Christmas. I made some oven mitts out of this darling fabric... Metro Kitchen by Robert Kaufman.

I've been making some pajama pants too. Here are some for my mom and my son.

I've also been making lots of mini stockings...

...to be used for this at our family Christmas dinner.

My mom requested some pillows, so I'm working on those too.

Many other projects planned this week.

Of course, I'm waiting till the very last minute to clean my house. :/ Hope everyone is having as much fun as me getting ready for Christmas! Only 5 days left! Yikes!

Busy, busy, busy...

Muffin Tin Monday--Kebabs

For more information on Muffin Tin Mondays, or to join in the fun, click on the button above or visit Michelle's blog at Her Cup Overfloweth.

Well, I didn't really have any "Kebab" type food, so I just used what I had available. And, instead of using skewers, I used toothpicks. I made this for my son's dinner last night (Sunday). From top left to bottom right I have cheese and meatball kebabs, pizza bite kebabs, sweet potato and broccoli kebabs, and of course, banana kebabs. I am sure you already know which one my son enjoyed the most... Bananas! He touched all of the foods to his mouth, then would spit out the ones he didn't like... *sigh*! I'm hoping maybe some of the nutrients from the meat, cheese, and veggies got into his system just from that small time of being in his mouth... even just a tiny bit! Oh well, I tried! :)

Enjoy!

Muffin Tin Monday--Kebabs

Muffin Tin Monday--Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

For more information on Muffin Tin Mondays, or to join in, click on the button above.

This week's theme was Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, from the children's book by Judi Barrett, and now there's a movie coming out in its honor. The movie looks really fun, but I just don't think my son could sit through a whole movie yet, so we'll probably wait until it comes out on DVD. I do remember the book, though. It was fun flipping through the pages to find ideas for this meal, and also reminiscing about the first time I read the book... I think one of my teachers read it to the class. It was fun and exciting when I was a kid, and now that I'm a mama, it is fun to be able to read books like this to my son. I am so glad he loves to read! So, if you haven't read the book in a while (or ever... gasp!), go read it for yourself or to your kids. It's really a cute, imaginative story, and makes for a great food theme! You could probably have an entire party based on this book! I'll just explain what my foods are from the book. Pretty much anything was fair game, since all different types of food were pouring from the sky. From top left to bottom right... I have mashed potato clouds with peas, bananas (this was my "I don't have anything else to put in this tin" tin), a cup of milk (since it would rain juice or milk from the sky), meatballs... gotta have 'em, spaghetti, and broccoli. I don't know if anyone else noticed this about the book, but why is it when the "storm" comes, all the foods that are good for you end up being the "bad guys"? Why do broccoli and brussels sprouts always get such a bad rap? I think they are both delicious if cooked the right way! Anyways, that's my 2 cents. This was another fun muffin tin meal to make for my son, but he only ate the bananas, meatballs, and spaghetti... and, of course he drank his milk. I guess 4 out of 6 is progress... :) Enjoy!

Muffin Tin Monday--Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Chicken and Roasted Tomatoes

I guess I'm having a "food" week... I've been posting mostly recipes this week! :) This dinner was inspired by a half-dozen tomatoes that I didn't know what to do with. My father-in-law is always bringing us food when he comes to visit us, and most of the time he brings too much! It is very sweet of him, I know. But, this week I had six tomatoes, and no idea what to do with them... as they were continuing to ripen on my counter. There wasn't quite enough tomatoes for a soup, plus I didn't have tomato paste. So, I searched online and found a delicious recipe from Ina Garten from Food Network. Mmmm... roasted tomatoes. My hubby was a little annoyed that the roasting was a little "smoky" from the oil, etc. But, they tasted so good, so I think he forgave me. ;) I was actually thinking of making a chicken cacciatore, but most of the recipes I found called for a big can of tomatoes, and that just wasn't going to work for me... So, after I borrowed Ina's roasted tomato recipe, I did my own thing with them. The tomatoes are so good just by themselves. Roasting them with the oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic really gives them a whole new flavor, and they were delicious mixed with the chicken and pasta. This meal is actually two recipes, combined later. You can serve the chicken and tomatoes over pasta or rice, or just eat them plain! Ina's recipe called for 12 tomatoes, but since I just had 6, I halved the recipe. Enjoy!

Serves 2 to 3

Ina Garten's Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients:

6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed

2 tbsp good olive oil

3/4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are concentrated and beginning to caramelize. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Note: I didn't roast my tomatoes all the way, since I knew I was going to be cooking them further along with the chicken. But, they were still delicious!

My Easy Chicken Recipe with the addition of Ina's tomatoes:

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp low-sodium chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook chicken in skillet for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place chicken on a separate plate. Return skillet to heat, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until slightly browned. In the meantime, cut chicken and roasted tomatoes into big chunks or cubes. Return chicken to skillet, cooking until no longer pink. Add broth, Italian seasoning, and tomatoes, and cook another 1 to 2 minutes or until all flavors are combined.

Chicken and Roasted Tomatoes

Chicken Salad Mini Pitas... Makeover

So, I made some Chicken Salad for my son a while back, and I wanted to do something different this time. I got some ideas online, but ended up doing my own thing. I think it tasted better than my first recipe. My son enjoyed it too! Things I like about this recipe: I really like using the mini pitas because they're the perfect size for his little hands! I like that when the chicken salad is put with some kind of bread, pasta, or grain, it makes a complete, well-rounded meal. You have grain, protein, veggies, and fruit in this recipe! I also like that it is relatively easy to make since you put most of the ingredients in the food processor. If you are used to a chunkier chicken salad, you don't have to use the food processor. You can just chop up your ingredients to the size you prefer, or only pulse a couple of times using the food processor. :) 

Ooh! I almost forgot... I also mixed some of this salad with some pasta and my son loved it that way too! 

Enjoy! 

Makes about 2 cups 

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 apple, peeled and cored

1/2 cup celery

1 carrot, shredded

1-1/2 tbsp mayo

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning*

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg*

1/8 tsp garlic powder*

1/8 tsp onion powder*

1 tbsp orange juice (lemon juice would be good here too)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken breast as desired. I put mine in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and I sprinkled it with the dried spices. Once chicken is cooked, let it cool, then chop it. Also chop apple and celery. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until you achieve your desired consistency. Cool salad in the fridge until ready to serve. You can also serve this warm. You can serve this as a sandwich, in pitas, as a wrap, or mixed with pasta or rice. 

*Note about spices: You can use any spices you like, or none at all and it will still taste good. I don't really measure my spices when I add them, so the measurements listed are approximate. I usually just do a sprinkle or a pinch here and there, until I think it tastes good. ;) 

Chicken Salad Mini Pitas... Makeover

Thank you, Julia and lululu!

So, the other day, I was catching up on my comment love, and was visiting lululu's lovely blog when I saw that she had posted Julia Child's recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon. Well, I have no way of knowing if it's really her recipe or not, since I don't own Julia's book yet, so I just took lululu's word for it. ;) Nevertheless, I was excited to see the recipe, having recently seen the movie Julie & Julia. Of course, the meal looked delicious in the movie, so I really wanted to try it! So, try it I did, and it is a delicious recipe! I think this may have been one of the best meals I've ever made! Either that or I was really hungry after taking the time to make this. I won't lie... it takes a long time to prepare... but, the directions are easy to follow, and it is so worth it! My husband loved it too, and he even had a stuffy nose that night! So, since I didn't come up with this recipe, I'm sending you over to lululu's blog to check it out. I only added one thing extra to this... a few leaves of fresh sage, finely chopped, in addition to the other herbs. Probably my three favorite herbs for turkey, chicken or beef are thyme, rosemary and sage... and I love using them together! Plus, they're readily available in my backyard garden! :) I served the beef over some homemade garlic mashed potatoes. Sorry, no recipe for these either, I just added some milk, sour cream, garlic and salt to the flavor and consistency that I wanted. 

Enjoy!

Thank you, Julia and lululu!

Muffin Tin Monday--Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

So, here's my attempt at being creative with food! Not very pretty, but it was fun to put it together for my son! I made an airplane using a banana for the plane body, peanut butter for "glue", graham crackers for wings, and raisins for windows. My son pointed to the sky and made his "whooshing" airplane noise. :) I also made a train/truck (or whatever you think it looks like...) using graham crackers, Cheez-Its, peanut butter, raisins, and string cheese. I had to put it on a napkin, otherwise it would have fallen apart in the tin! I filled the other tins with extra raisins, Disney Cars themed graham crackers, mac and cheese using wheel-shaped pasta, and extra string cheese cut in circles to resemble wheels. Well, I think I was a little more excited about this than my son, but he did enjoy the graham crackers. I gave him this meal on Saturday night, but I think next time I'll give him this muffin tin meal for breakfast since that's when he's the most hungry. :) Enjoy! 

*If you are new to Muffin Tin Mondays, click on the button above, or check out Michelle's blog at Her Cup Overfloweth. 

Muffin Tin Monday--Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Soft Taco Night...

So, my husband was craving some tacos, and since we had just bought some tortillas, he apparently felt the need to use them all up right away... I actually wanted them to make some quesadillas for my son. But, instead I ended up making some delicious soft tacos for dinner! I usually use a packet of taco seasoning, but I didn't have any, and I also didn't feel like going back to the grocery store in a hot car just for a small packet of seasoning. So, I made up my own "taco seasoning" and it tasted pretty good with the ground beef. It was a little bit spicy, but still yummy! :) When you have the beef mixture made, you can add any toppings you want. We had some tomatoes, green chili and shredded cheddar on hand. I also like sour cream, but we didn't have any. The beef mixture can be used in any kind of tortilla you want. Since we just had flour tortillas, we made soft tacos. But you can certainly use corn tortilla taco or tostada shells, or make your own corn tortilla tacos if you have a deep fryer. Yum! :) Enjoy!

Ingredients for beef mixture:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb ground beef

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 tbsp garlic, minced

Ingredients for taco seasoning:

2-1/2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp New Mexican chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp red pepper flake

In a small bowl, stir together all taco seasoning ingredients until combined. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook until tender. Add beef and combine with the other ingredients while browning. When beef is browned, add taco seasoning mixture. You can add as much or as little as you want until it is to your preferred taste. Mix all ingredients well. Serve in a warm flour tortilla or a crunchy corn tortilla with your favorite toppings. :)

Soft Taco Night...

Mac and Peas

I was having a really rough time this past week... trying to get my son to eat anything nutritious! I don't know why this happens. He has some really great weeks of eating "normal", and I think, "maybe he's changed and he's going to be a good eater from now on"... But then we have frustrating weeks like this past one where he turns down almost anything I make for him. It is frustrating, and I have no idea where he gets it from... my husband and I are both good eaters! Anyways, this week it seemed my son would only eat anything "bread" related... crescent rolls, crackers, pasta... So, I've had to be really creative this week. I made this new Mac and Cheese where I snuck in extra protein and veggies (I can't believe I'm having to resort to sneakiness!). I mixed in some tofu with the cheese sauce, then added sweet potato puree and peas. It was very successful! I tried some too... and it was delicious! This is going to be one of my new "go-to" recipes when my son is feeling picky again! Enjoy! :)

Ingredients:

2 cups small pasta (I used elbows)

1/4 cup tofu (I use firm since it has more protein)

1/2 cup milk

1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sweet potato puree

1/4 cup frozen peas

Dash of pepper

Cook pasta per package directions.

In a food processor or blender, puree together tofu with 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Heat tofu mixture over medium heat until warm. Slowly whisk in cheese until melted evenly, and mixture becomes smooth. Reduce heat to low. Add sweet potato puree and stir until combined. Add pasta and frozen peas. Stir until evenly coated with cheese sauce, and peas are cooked (this only takes a minute or two). Add pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Mac and Peas

Different Chicken Noodle

When my son is feeling under the weather, I make him some homemade chicken noodle soup. It is such a healing natural remedy for colds, and I think it just makes you feel better by keeping your insides warm! Normally I like to use the typical onion, celery, and carrots, but I didn't have any celery on hand. So, I decided to make my own version using ingredients that I had. You can really use any kind of vegetables you like, and I'm sure it will taste delicious no matter what. I usually steam the chicken and vegetables first to soften them before I stick them in the broth with the noodles. When my son was younger, I would puree the chicken and vegetable mixture with a little bit of broth, then use it as a sauce over small pasta (elbows, wheels). It makes a great finger food! Nowadays, he is becoming more independent and likes to feed himself, so I just give it to him the same way we eat it! It is so much healthier this way without all the added sodium and preservatives that the canned versions have. The best part is my son LOVES it! :) Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed and cooked

6 oz whole wheat egg noodles

1 cup chopped broccoli florets, cooked

1 cup chopped carrots, cooked

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tbsp minced garlic

3 cups water

3 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp cumin

1 tsp poultry seasoning

In a large pot, bring water and broth to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, stir, and simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, tender, and the flavors are combined. Serve hot, or at room temperature for toddlers. Makes about 6 cups. 

Different Chicken Noodle

Miso Soup

My son LOVES Miso soup! Anytime we go to a sushi restaurant, the waitress brings out a little bowl for him, with some added rice. He usually finishes it, which makes me happy. It's another way for him to get some extra protein, and iron. :) So, I know it's not soup season, but I was dying to try to make my own miso soup. I got some of the ingredients at an Asian supermarket, and some at Whole Foods. Since I knew my son loved the seaweed and tofu in the soup at the sushi restaurant, I bought some to add to the soup here. Also, when I got the container of miso, I noticed that there was a simple recipe on top (just miso and water), which made it a little easier. However, I didn't use their guidelines. It needed more miso, and more yummy ingredients in my opinion... So, here's what I came up with, and it tasted so good! I made 2 cups worth of soup, and he ate at least 1 cup... probably more. 

He loved it, as expected, and I was so happy! :)

Ingredients:

2 cups water

5 tsp light yellow miso

1 handful of Nori, shredded (or Kombu)

1 tbsp Bonito flakes

2 tbsp dried Shiitake mushrooms

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup tofu, cubed

1/2 cup rice, pre-cooked

In a medium pot, stir together miso and water, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Reduce heat to low, and return pot to burner. Add the remaining ingredients, and cook until heated and mushrooms are tender. Serve and enjoy! Or, if serving to little ones, cool to room temperature before serving. This is probably about 4 servings, but with my son, it only ended up being 2 servings! 

Miso Soup

Greek Pasta Salad

I have been making this pasta salad at least once a year for the past 10 years or so. The first time I made it, I used a recipe from one of my mom's cookbooks. Then, the cookbook somehow got lost or otherwise vanished... I have never been able to find it again. But, since that first time I made it, I LOVED this salad! And everyone else loved it too! So, I've been "winging" it for the past 9 or 10 years... I remember some of what was in it, but I've never really measured the dressing. I just grab handfuls of this and that, mix it up and taste to see if it's right. So, I apologize for some of the non-measured ingredients. This is how I've been doing it for a long time. It works, and it ends up tasting delicious! My son even loves it! This is a great summer time salad, or any time potluck salad, with yummy fresh and light ingredients! 

And it's very colorful! :) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Salad

1 pkg. (12 oz) tri-color rotini, cooked per package directions

1 red bell pepper, sliced in thin strips

1 green bell pepper, sliced in thin strips

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced in thin strips

1 pkg. grape tomatoes

1/2 cup Calamata olives, pitted and halved*

1 pkg. (4 oz) Feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

About 12 fresh basil leaves*

About 6 big fresh sage leaves, chopped*

About 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves*

Big handful of fresh Italian Flat-leaf Parsley*

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 tbsp garlic, minced*

1/2 tsp salt

8 to 10 turns fresh ground black pepper

1 to 2 palmfuls parmesan cheese, grated

Putting it all together

In a large serving bowl, combine pasta, bell peppers, tomatoes, and olives. Set aside. In a food processor, combine all dressing ingredients and puree until smooth. I always taste it to see if it needs anything else. Some things I occasionally have to add are: more pepper or parmesan cheese. Once you have your desired taste, pour dressing over pasta mixture, and gently stir to coat the pasta with the dressing. I think it is much easier to use clean hands here. Add feta cheese and gently stir it into the pasta. Refrigerate before serving. It tastes really good if you refrigerate it overnight. I think more of the flavor gets absorbed in the pasta or something... yum! :)

*Note: Green olives would be fine here too. I think they taste about the same. The Calamata olives are a little bit more tangy (?), vinegary (?), which goes well with this salad! You can also use crushed dried herbs if you don't have fresh on hand. Use 1/3 dried herbs per 1 part fresh herbs. So, 1 tbsp fresh basil=1 tsp dried basil. Since I don't really measure my fresh herbs, if I were to use dried herbs, I would start with about 1 tsp of each and go from there... If it tastes good, leave it... If it needs some flavor, add more. And if you're using dried herbs, crush them in your hand a little before you add them to your dressing. This helps release more of the flavor. :)

Greek Pasta Salad

"Barbeque Chicken Buns"

So, in my previous crescent roll recipe, I had said that I would try to make my own barbeque pork buns. Well, this is sort of my take on that, with some slight differences. I took the meat idea, and used chicken instead, since I didn't have shredded or diced pork in my fridge. I also used my Better BBQ Sauce recipe which I had frozen into ice cube trays... and I must say, it freezes and defrosts very nicely! So, besides the chicken that I had to cook, I basically had most of the ingredients (rolls and BBQ sauce) already prepared, so this was a very easy recipe for me to put together. But, I realize that if you are going to try to make my version of barbeque sauce, then there is a little bit more work involved for you. :) Otherwise, to make it easier (and faster), you can certainly use the store-bought barbeque sauce and you'll have these "buns" prepared in no time! In case you missed the BBQ Sauce post, here's a little background info on my barbeque sauce: My son LOVES barbeque sauce, and I know that if I drench his meats in it, he will definitely eat more protein! However, my problem with store-bought barbeque sauce is that they are loaded with sugar! Obviously, this is the reason why my son likes it so much! So, I tried to make a healthier version for him. We both think it tastes pretty good, and I snuck in some veggies too! :) Needless to say, my son LOVED these barbeque buns! Yay! Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded

1/2 cup Better BBQ Sauce (recipe below)

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls (I used the Pillsbury Big and Flaky)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine barbeque sauce and chicken and stir until sauce is evenly distributed throughout the chicken. Unroll and separate crescent rolls onto a baking sheet. Place about 2 tbsp of meat mixture onto each crescent roll, and spread all along the inside of the roll. Starting at the wide end, roll up the crescent all the way to the tip, making sure meat stays in place. Curl the two ends of the roll to make the crescent shape, and lay on the baking sheet. Space rolls about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for about 15 to 19 minutes, or until golden-brown. Makes 6 to 8 rolls. 

Better BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2 cup sweet potato puree

1/2 cup carrot puree

1/2 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp agave nectar

2 shakes Tabasco

pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan over low heat, until combined and heated through. Makes about 2 cups. Extra sauce freezes nicely. Enjoy!

"Barbeque Chicken Buns"

Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls

So, my son was having one of those weeks, where he wasn't eating very much protein... He goes in phases--good protein weeks, and bad protein weeks. I guess he eventually gets what he needs, but I would really like him to eat more meats! We were having Dim Sum the other day, when a lightbulb went off in my head. My son loves Cha Siu Bao (barbeque pork buns), so I thought I would wrap some meat up in bread with some other yummy ingredients. Crescent rolls to the rescue! I suppose I could make my own rolls, but it is soooo much easier to just buy the refrigerated crescent rolls! So I rolled up some ham and cheese and some crushed dried herbs, baked them, and voila! Protein time! Success! He LOVED them! Hee hee hee... (my sneaky laugh). I'm sure this recipe exists elsewhere, and I know that Pillsbury has some recipes online too. So check them out as well if you're looking for an easy snack or side to make. I'm thinking of making my own "barbeque pork buns" next time... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls (I get the Pillsbury Big and Flaky type, 6 crescents per tube)

3 slices lunch meat, chopped into small size bites for toddlers (I used ham, but any kind is fine)

6 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

1 tbsp crushed dried Italian seasoning (or crushed dried herb of choice)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Unroll and lay crescent rolls flat on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a little bit of the Italian seasoning over each crescent roll, and lightly press the herbs into the dough. Place lunch meat dices over crescent rolls, distributing evenly on the roll. Sprinkle about 1 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese evenly over each crescent roll. Carefully roll up the crescent rolls from the wide side to the angled side, then curve the ends into a moon shape. If desired, sprinkle a little more dried herbs on the tops of the rolls. Space the rolls about 1-2 inches apart on the baking sheet (no need to spray/grease the sheet). Bake for 15 to 19 minutes or until golden brown. 

Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls

Yummy Mush

My son goes through phases of eating really great one week, then being picky about food the next. This was one of those picky weeks, so I had to try something different to make sure he's getting all of his nutrients. Sometimes, I don't know how I come up with these recipes! I suppose I just throw a bunch of different things together that I think my son will like, then hope and pray that he eats it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't and the food is either thrown to the dogs (by my son, not me...), or eaten by me or my husband, or sadly, a wasted recipe... This is another one of those weird combinations of foods that actually worked for my son. I got him to eat some grain, protein, and veggie. He LOVED it, and even ate leftovers! I was a very happy Mama! It may sound weird, but maybe your picky eater will like it too! :)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup brown rice, pre-cooked

1/4 cup sweet potato puree

1/2 cup tofu, cubed

Sprinkling of pepper

Heat chicken broth over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low, and add remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine, and heat until warmed through. Cool to a temperature suitable for your child. You can also puree all the ingredients together for a younger baby. Serve and enjoy!

Yummy Mush

Stuffed Mushrooms

Okay, so I kinda stole this recipe from my aunt, but it is so yummy! I did mine a little bit different, but they still turned out delicious. My husband and I LOVE these stuffed mushrooms! I normally make this with the smaller white stuffing mushrooms, but this time I wanted to make it more of a meal instead of an hors d'oeuvre. So, I used Baby Portabella caps. They were so delicious with the filling! I think I'll make them like this all the time! For most of my recipes that call for cream cheese, I use neufchatel instead because it has 1/3 less fat. But, you can use regular cream cheese if you like. I just served mine over some wild rice, and it was super filling! I was full after one mushroom! :) 

Ingredients:

5 to 6 Baby Portabella caps*

1 lb breakfast sausage*

1 pkg (8 oz) Neufchatel (or Cream Cheese)

1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped

1 tsp (2 cloves) minced garlic

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray, and set aside. Clean mushroom caps by wiping with a damp paper towel. Make sure to remove any stems that are left on the mushrooms. Place mushrooms open side up in the baking dish. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Add garlic and onions and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and add neufchatel or cream cheese. Stir until cheese is soft, melted and combined well with other ingredients. Remove from heat. Spoon sausage mixture into mushroom caps, patting down to make sure it is "stuffed". You will probably have leftover sausage mixture. Bake in oven at 350 F for about 20 minutes. Recipe makes about 6 big stuffed mushrooms or 12 smaller sized mushrooms. 

*Note: The name "Baby Portabella" or "Baby Bella" is misleading. The ones I found were a much larger size than the white mushrooms that I normally get. You could also use regular Portabella mushrooms if you want an even bigger mushroom! I prefer to use the Owens Hot breakfast sausage since it adds a little "zing", but you can use regular breakfast sausage or even Italian sausage if you like. You can serve these big mushrooms over rice or some yummy steamed vegetables. I bet it would taste delicious over cooked spinach too! I have also used this same sausage mixture to stuff Bell Peppers, and it tastes just as delicious! :) Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Sausage and Grits

I found this recipe in an old Everyday Food magazine, and my husband and I LOVED it! I changed it a little bit based on what I had and also, since the original recipe was only for 1 serving, I doubled it. My husband and I love grits and I thought this recipe used a great mix of flavors in a unique and delicious way! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 precooked chicken-apple sausage links, halved and sliced

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

1 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch lengths

2 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup grits or yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage until browned, tossing occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium. Cook onion until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add asparagus, thyme and 1/3 cup water. Cover, and steam until asparagus is just tender and water has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Add sausage and lemon juice; toss. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. 

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup salted water to a boil; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Stir in cheese; season with salt and pepper. Serve sausage and asparagus over grits. 

Sausage and Grits

Cheesy Pasta

I suppose this is essentially mac and cheese, but I just made up my own thing based on what I had in my kitchen. I wanted to make something quick for my son that would fill him up for dinner. He loves picking up these mini pasta wheels, or trying to "stab" them with his fork! I usually have some already cooked in the fridge waiting for the addition of some kind of sauce. Cheese is a big hit with him, and I also mixed in some yummy veggies with the cheese sauce. I tried a little bit and LOVED it! Anything with pasta and cheese is so comforting! :) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter

1/4 cup white mushrooms, chopped (any mushroom would be fine)

1/8 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/8 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup milk

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup sweet potato puree

2 turns fresh ground black pepper, or to taste

small pasta (I used the piccolini, or mini wheels but any small pasta would be fine)

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes to pan and saute until soft. In a separate saucepan, warm milk over medium heat. Whisk in cheese and continue stirring until it is combined (and starts looking like a cheese sauce). Add sweet potato puree and stir together until sauce is smooth. Add onion mixture to the cheese sauce and stir until evenly distributed. Add pepper to taste and stir in. Pour over pasta and enjoy! Cheese mixture makes about 1-1/2 cups. 

Cheesy Pasta

Veggie Success!

I made up this recipe trying to get my son to eat some more veggies. He has his good days and bad days when it comes to veggies and meats... I hate to resort to sneakiness, and this dish really wasn't very sneaky at all! I was so happy that he LOVED this dish! I thought it was pretty yummy too! :) I mixed some scrambled egg (Yay! Protein!) with his favorite veggie, sweet potato and some broccoli. I was one happy mama when I saw him sign "more"! If you have younger babies (under 12 months), you can use 2 egg yolks instead of 1 whole egg. Also, you can use broccoli puree instead of chopped broccoli if your baby isn't eating chunky foods yet. Enjoy! :)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter

1 egg (or 2 egg yolks)

1 tbsp milk

1/4 cup broccoli, chopped and cooked (pureed if desired)

1/4 cup sweet potato puree

1 tbsp onion, finely chopped (or you can sprinkle some onion powder)

2 turns fresh ground black pepper

2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese (any shredded cheese would be fine)

Melt butter in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion to skillet and saute for 2 minutes. Whisk together egg, milk, and pepper (and onion powder if using instead of onion). Add to skillet and cook until only middle is soft. Add broccoli and sweet potato puree, and mix to combine with egg mixture. Cook until everything is heated through and combined. Serve in bowls with cheese on top (I like to mix-in the cheese with all the other ingredients so you can taste it throughout). Makes about 2 toddler-sized servings. 

Veggie Success!

Three-Meat Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Wow! My husband and I were in San Francisco when we stopped at some diner and had a delicious meatloaf. It was a chilly day, so the warm meatloaf and mashed potatoes really hit the spot that day. When we came back home to AZ, I had to find a recipe that was similar. So I searched online and found one, and I have been using this recipe for a few years (with some of my own special touches). As I was feeling exceptionally creative the other day, I decided to change it up and hopefully improve it... Oh my goodness! This was delicious! My husband and I loved it! Meatloaf is not very photogenic, but it sure does taste good! :) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1-1/2 cups onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

2 tbsp garlic, minced

1 tbsp dry Italian seasoning, crushed

1 pound ground beef

1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed

12 oz Chorizo, casings removed

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (regular or Italian bread crumbs are fine)

Pepper as desired

1/4 to 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato spread (as needed to cover the loaf)

In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. 

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, sausage, chorizo, onion mixture, sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro, eggs, bread crumbs, and pepper. Transfer meat mixture to a large but shallow baking dish and shape it into a flat loaf about 2-1/2 inches thick. There will be a large amount of mixture at this point. You may also use a loaf pan if desired. Smooth the top of the loaf with the back of a spoon. Spread sun-dried tomato spread on top of loaf, coating evenly.

Bake about 1-1/2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 165 F. Let rest on a rack for 10 minutes before slicing. Add more sun-dried tomato spread atop your loaf as desired. Serve hot with mashed potatoes and veggies. Serves 6 to 8. 

Three-Meat Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes