How was your weekend? Mine was super nice!! On Saturday Riley and I took the kids to buy granny's birthday gift, run a few errands and then let them pick out lunch. They chose Mexican food and so we headed off to their favorite restaurant! When we got back I took Britney out to get a few birthday gifts for her that I needed her present for. She is getting so tall and comes up to my chin. I can't believe she will be twelve and will be starting middle school in the fall. We stopped at Starbucks and she picked out a strawberries and cream frappichino (she is a pink girl through and through) and I got a skinny iced latte. Then we headed home and the family talked me into making chicken and waffles. Lol. Crazy combo!! That's what happens when you watch cooking shows as a family. Riley ran to get chicken and I made the waffles. As tempting as it was I made myself a chicken salad and let them enjoy the syrup Tabasco covered mess.
On Sunday we rested and enjoyed hot tea and cuddling because the temperature dropped a bunch! Texas weather is so bipolar!
Which leads me to today's topic. Babyfood!! My husband took over making dinner (mesquite grilled chicken and steak) while I tackled food for our darling twinlets. Have you ever made Babyfood before? When my oldest son was a baby I discovered the goodness of making his food when he threw up Gerber chicken all over me not once but twice. I was convinced he was allergic to chicken and my MIL went out and bought me a pressure cooker to show me how to make real babyfood! Sure enough he gobbled that right up and we never had another chicken (or other meat) vomiting episode! I've learned a lot in the last few years and I'm pretty proud to say I make their food as well as cloth diaper (85% cloth & 15% disposable). I'm still puzzled why Gerber Meats reads.... Add gravy??!?!? Why do babies need gravy? Making their food is not only economical but I also never had to worry about finding glass or plastic in their food! So yesterday I made up a batch of chicken. I personally like to buy bone in cut up thighs. To prepare them I cut off the skin and cut out the bone. Wouldn't it be easier to just buy skinless/bonesless chicken....probably but I personally think cooking the bones with the chicken helps the flavor. Since not every one has a pressure cooker you can use a lidded oven safe pot. I have the 9 quart Le Creuset but any lidded oven safe pot works. A put my deboned / skin removed chicken which is approx. 8 large thighs in (I remove the skin so the broth isn't an overly greasy mess) and cover with water (approx 3 quarts) and add 1/2 tsp salt. Babies don't need a lot of salt but I salt it because what broth I don't use I save for our food. Then I place that pot in the oven on 350 for approx 1 1/2- 2 hours or until the meat is pulling off the bones. Then I pull it out and let the whole pot rest and cool off. When making Babyfood I have found having a nice food processor works the best. I used to make it in my magic bullet but then I was making several different batches. I've also seen those baby bullets. Great concept for blending up but if you want to make and freeze having a real food processor is much better. I waited for a Macy's sale and snagged up an almost $300 Cuisnart for $120. It holds 11 cups and works amazedly as well as I have it for my other cooking needs! The other thing you need for large batches is ice cube trays. I used to use the unlidded kid but found I liked Fresh Baby lidded ones much better! I found them on Amazon for a great price!! When I'm not using them for Babyfood I use them to freeze broth or coffee for quick additions to recipes! Once your chicken is cooled pull out the bones and place the tender meat in the good processor. I usually add a ladle or two of broth to start and add more as I go to make the perfect consistency. Once you've reached that stage you are ready to spoon into your trays. I have found placing it in a large piping bag with coupling makes it much faster and less messy but spooning works too if you don't have cake decorating supplies. Once filled, place lid and put in the freezer to set. Since we just started chicken I'm only thawing out one cube in addition to their veggie and fruit. We will work up to a serving which is roughly three cubes. As they progress in their goods I can make my own "chicken dinner" by adding a few cubes of chicken with a quinoa or organic brown rice cube (I make grains and purée them with homemade veggie or chicken broth in the processor too) and a veggie cube of carrot and peas. I love that I can mix up the combos simply by pulling out a cube or two. If you have any questions regarding making Babyfood please feel free to comment or send me an email.
If you decide to make your own babyfood these make great additions to your childs diet.
If you decide to make your own babyfood these make great additions to your childs diet.
- coconut oil (I order from Tropical Traditions)
- quinoa
- ground flax (I only add this to their morning oatmeal)
- Infant Probiotic (Klaire Labs Infant Probiotic is my favorite)
- mashed avocados
- BPA Free Canned Pumpkin (I made them pumpkin macaroni)
- Multivitamin (Children's Incredivite Vitamin)
- Probiotic (Optiflora)
I wished they had the covered ice trays with my babies. I made their food but never meats. I never thought about it and my kids wouldn't touch Berbers fake meats for anything. I think I mashed fresh meats up for them. And your shoes are beautiful! And I dint understand chicken and waffles, but I don't watch cooking shows. I haven't learned to cook the meal while watching them and I don't know a lot about our cable channels. Oh I should learn. I google cooking stuff like crazy.
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