My little guy has suddenly changed from being a voracious eater to an extremely finicky one. Sigh. I have cooked countless dishes only to have him completely reject it on sight or spit it back out. I figured he was probably tired of the type of cooking that I have grown accustomed to - Italian. I decided to switch gears altogether and try a Chinese dish - albeit adapted out of a Sunset Magazine. The result? HE LOVED IT!
Ingredients
1 lb Tilapia
1-18 oz package of soft tofu
Marinade
1 T Chinese black bean garlic sauce
1 T Dry sherry
1 T Sesame oil
3 tsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Brown sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
Topping
1 T fresh peeled ginger slivers
2 Green onions, cut in 2 inch long slivers
Drain tofu and gently invert onto a thick layer of towels on a flat surface. Pat dry and let drain.
Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade. Set aside.
Rinse fish, pat dry and cut into pieces about the same size into rectangles (approximately 1x2 inches) The pieces should be about 1/2 inch thick. Add fish to the marinade and let stand.
Cut tofu into pieces about the same size as the fish. Line a glass pie dish with the cut tofu pieces and arrange the marinaded fish pieces on top of the tofu. Sprinkle the ginger evenly over the fish.
Using a pan or potthat is larger than the pie dish, add a couple inches of water. You also need something that is heat resistant to suspend the pie dish at least an inch above the water. I used a cylindrical food form and placed the pie dish on top of the food form. A pie rack or some other suitable structure may work.
Set pie dish on the rack or structure, cover and steam until the fish is barely opaque in the center (about 6-8 minutes). Remove the pie dish from the pot, sprinkle with green onions, and serve.
Serve with a side of steamed asparagus (chopped into little pieces for baby) and over a bed of long grain rice.
Serves 4.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Calzone
Now that my son is 15 months old, he has been insisting on self-feeding more than ever. A sign of growing independence, I suppose. He is able to spoon some food into his mouth, but his success rate is somewhere between 20-30%. I like make this calzone for my son when my husband and I go out to eat - it keeps him occupied for a good 20 minutes!
Please note the portions are approximate for now. I need to go back in the kitchen and make this to confirm the amounts, but here the recipe, based on my memory, in the meantime.
1 Chicken breast
1 T crushed garlic
1 Red Pepper
1 C sliced mushrooms
1/4C feta cheese
Big handful of baby spinach
Marinara sauce
Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Chop up chicken breast into baby bite size pieces. Heat 1 T of olive oil over medium heat and saute crushed garlic until aromatic (1 min). Add chicken pieces and salt and pepper to taste.
In the meantime, put red pepper on a baking sheet and roast (broil under high heat) until charred. Turn the red pepper and continue to char all sides. Remove red pepper, put in a large bowl and keep covered until cool. Once cooled, remove the charred skin, slice open and remove seeds and ribbing. Slice and chop the red pepper into small baby bite size pieces.
Once chicken is fully cooked, remove from heat and cover. Add 1T of olive oil to the skillet and saute mushrooms until soft. Add spinach and cover for a few minutes to wilt. Combine the mushroom/spinach mixture with the chicken and chopped red pepper. Season to taste. Add marinara sauce to coat.
Pre-heat oven according to directions on the pizza dough package. Grab a handful of pizza dough and allow to warm to room temperature for ease of handling. Using hands, stretch the pizza dough to a rectangular shape (about 4x10). Put a line of the mixture down the middle of the dough, sprinkpe with feta cheese and stretch the two sides of the dough to meet. Pinch together. Make sure that the diameter of the calzone so large that it will not fit into baby's mouth! Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for about 8-10 minutes or until the dough looks cooked through.
Please note the portions are approximate for now. I need to go back in the kitchen and make this to confirm the amounts, but here the recipe, based on my memory, in the meantime.
1 Chicken breast
1 T crushed garlic
1 Red Pepper
1 C sliced mushrooms
1/4C feta cheese
Big handful of baby spinach
Marinara sauce
Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Chop up chicken breast into baby bite size pieces. Heat 1 T of olive oil over medium heat and saute crushed garlic until aromatic (1 min). Add chicken pieces and salt and pepper to taste.
In the meantime, put red pepper on a baking sheet and roast (broil under high heat) until charred. Turn the red pepper and continue to char all sides. Remove red pepper, put in a large bowl and keep covered until cool. Once cooled, remove the charred skin, slice open and remove seeds and ribbing. Slice and chop the red pepper into small baby bite size pieces.
Once chicken is fully cooked, remove from heat and cover. Add 1T of olive oil to the skillet and saute mushrooms until soft. Add spinach and cover for a few minutes to wilt. Combine the mushroom/spinach mixture with the chicken and chopped red pepper. Season to taste. Add marinara sauce to coat.
Pre-heat oven according to directions on the pizza dough package. Grab a handful of pizza dough and allow to warm to room temperature for ease of handling. Using hands, stretch the pizza dough to a rectangular shape (about 4x10). Put a line of the mixture down the middle of the dough, sprinkpe with feta cheese and stretch the two sides of the dough to meet. Pinch together. Make sure that the diameter of the calzone so large that it will not fit into baby's mouth! Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for about 8-10 minutes or until the dough looks cooked through.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Simple Crabcakes
I felt that Thomas needed a break from his regular diet of chicken, beef and fish. Now that he's 15 months old, I figured it was safe to introduce him to shellfish. Having lived in Maryland for four years, I have always loved crabcakes.
Ingredients
8 oz lump crab meat (I use Whole Catch Lump Crab Meat from Whole Foods)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 C bread crumbs, evenly divided
1/4 C chopped green onions
1 t lemon juice
1 T dijon mustard
Dash of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Combine the crab meat, egg, 1/4 C bread crumbs, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
Mix until the ingredients are well combined.
Create 1 1/2 inch balls and cover the balls with the remaining bread crumbs. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add approximately 4-5 balls to skillet at a time and flatten the balls with a spatula.
Cook for 2 minutes on each side.
Serve with tartar sauce.
Approximately 5 servings (2 crabcakes per serving)
Ingredients
8 oz lump crab meat (I use Whole Catch Lump Crab Meat from Whole Foods)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 C bread crumbs, evenly divided
1/4 C chopped green onions
1 t lemon juice
1 T dijon mustard
Dash of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Combine the crab meat, egg, 1/4 C bread crumbs, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
Mix until the ingredients are well combined.
Create 1 1/2 inch balls and cover the balls with the remaining bread crumbs. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add approximately 4-5 balls to skillet at a time and flatten the balls with a spatula.
Cook for 2 minutes on each side.
Serve with tartar sauce.
Approximately 5 servings (2 crabcakes per serving)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Arroz con Pollo
This is a really yummy dish that can also be enjoyed by the entire family. Although the traditional arroz con pollo typically calls for a whole chicken and beer, it can be adapted to be more "baby friendly."
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped in bite sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/2 C green peas
1 C rice
2-3C chicken broth
1/4 t saffron threads
Salt
Pepper
2 T olive oil
Heat olive oil in a large pot and brown chicken. Remove chicken and set aside on a paper towel. Using a mortar and pestle, crush garlic along with a dash of salt and pepper. Add green peppers, red peppers, onions, and garlic paste to the pot and cook until the vegetables are tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add chicken, rice, tomato, chicken broth, and saffron threads and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until the rice is cooked through. Add chicken broth as needed. When the rice is almost cooked through, add the frozen peas and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve.
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped in bite sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/2 C green peas
1 C rice
2-3C chicken broth
1/4 t saffron threads
Salt
Pepper
2 T olive oil
Heat olive oil in a large pot and brown chicken. Remove chicken and set aside on a paper towel. Using a mortar and pestle, crush garlic along with a dash of salt and pepper. Add green peppers, red peppers, onions, and garlic paste to the pot and cook until the vegetables are tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add chicken, rice, tomato, chicken broth, and saffron threads and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until the rice is cooked through. Add chicken broth as needed. When the rice is almost cooked through, add the frozen peas and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Easy Creamed Spinach
I am always looking for dishes that the entire family can enjoy. This is a simplified creamed spinach recipe that does not compromise on taste. I served this dish with a few fish sticks for dinner, and my little one LOVED it. If the fish sticks are too chunky for your little one, you can cut them up and mix them directly into the spinach dish.
10 oz organic baby spinach
1 T butter
1/2 T flour
1/4 C whole milk
Seasoning to taste:
Nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is fully melted, add flour and whisk into a paste. Add milk and spinach and combine. Cover and let simmer over low heat for a few minutes or until the spinach is completely wilted. Remove from heat, add a dash of nutmeg, salt and pepper to baby's preferred taste, mix, cover and let stand for an addition 5 minutes.
10 oz organic baby spinach
1 T butter
1/2 T flour
1/4 C whole milk
Seasoning to taste:
Nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is fully melted, add flour and whisk into a paste. Add milk and spinach and combine. Cover and let simmer over low heat for a few minutes or until the spinach is completely wilted. Remove from heat, add a dash of nutmeg, salt and pepper to baby's preferred taste, mix, cover and let stand for an addition 5 minutes.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Alphabet Pasta with Meat and Vegetable Sauce
This is one of my bambino's favorite dishes. I'm not sure if it's the sauce or the pasta that he goes crazy for, but it doesn't matter. This is also one of my favorite dishes to serve baby, as it combines many of the essential food groups in a single dish - veggies, protein and carbs. I chose zucchini and squash for the vegetables in this sauce, as they become rather mushy after cooking. Feel free to experiment with other veggies, such as red/green bell peppers and eggplant. Or for a power veggie packed sauce, add these to the list!
Ingredients
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 italian zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 lb ground beef
2 14 oz cans of chopped tomatoes
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
1/4 t each of oregano, basil, and thyme
salt and peper to taste
Eden Organic Alphabet Pasta or small star pasta
Grated parmesean cheese
Dice the onion and garlic and saute in olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes until tender.
Dice the italian zucchini and yellow squash and add to the onion/garlic mixture with the oregano, basil and thyme. Saute until tender and remove from heat.
In a large deep pan, heat 2 T olive oil and add the ground beef. Cook until brown and break into small pieces using a wooden spoon. When the beef is fully cooked and browned, add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper, and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the beef mixture, cover, and allow to simmer for an additional 5-8 minutes.
Cook pasta according to instructions. Add desired amount of sauce over a serving of pasta. Sprinke with parmesean cheese and serve!
Approximately 16-24 servings. Freeze the remaining sauce in serving size portions.
NOTE: While any small pasta shapes will work well with this sauce, the Eden brand is the only one that I could find that is both whole grain and organic.
Ingredients
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 italian zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 lb ground beef
2 14 oz cans of chopped tomatoes
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
1/4 t each of oregano, basil, and thyme
salt and peper to taste
Eden Organic Alphabet Pasta or small star pasta
Grated parmesean cheese
Dice the onion and garlic and saute in olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes until tender.
Dice the italian zucchini and yellow squash and add to the onion/garlic mixture with the oregano, basil and thyme. Saute until tender and remove from heat.
In a large deep pan, heat 2 T olive oil and add the ground beef. Cook until brown and break into small pieces using a wooden spoon. When the beef is fully cooked and browned, add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper, and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the beef mixture, cover, and allow to simmer for an additional 5-8 minutes.
Cook pasta according to instructions. Add desired amount of sauce over a serving of pasta. Sprinke with parmesean cheese and serve!
Approximately 16-24 servings. Freeze the remaining sauce in serving size portions.
NOTE: While any small pasta shapes will work well with this sauce, the Eden brand is the only one that I could find that is both whole grain and organic.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Introduction to My Baby Gourmet
One need only cruise down the baby food aisle of the supermarket to realize that the options for baby food are severly limited. Most pureed baby foods have been manufactured under such high heat to ensure sterility that much of the flavor, texture and even the colors have faded. Baby's first introduction to the world of solid food deserves much more than the glop that you find in jars or cans.
Making your own baby food is surprisingly simple. It is also a wonderful opportunity to learn about your baby's unique preferences. And there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your baby open wide for the next morsel of homemade goodness.
My Baby Gourmet is intended to help busy mothers find easy and practical solutions for feeding baby. I hope that you will find it useful!
Making your own baby food is surprisingly simple. It is also a wonderful opportunity to learn about your baby's unique preferences. And there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your baby open wide for the next morsel of homemade goodness.
My Baby Gourmet is intended to help busy mothers find easy and practical solutions for feeding baby. I hope that you will find it useful!
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