Homemade Baby Food & Baby Food Recipes

September 2008 - Fall Baby Food Recipes Contest

Alicia's beefy- fall squash extravaganza!

Ingredients:

Acorn squash
butternut squash
Apples
Cinnimon
butter
beef ( can be hamburger beef or precooked steak/beef strips- i use the pre cooked steak strips from tyson)

Directions:

1) split both squashes scrape out seeds and bake (one half of each squash or both its up to you if your gonna have squash for yourself or freeze a lot.)

2) in pan with 1 inch water at 400 degrees untill skin puckers- 40min to an hour-
3) peel and core the apples and boil in a pot of water with cinamon and a little bit of butter for about 10 or 15 min.-
4) cook beef however you like- if its the preecooked tyson steak strips than all your doing is warming it up.-
5) drain apples but dont throw the water away- put all cooked ingredients in a blender and puree to your likeing- use the water from when you boiled the apples to help get to the right consistancy. freeze your excess.

TIP: if your child doesnt like apples to much you can replace the fruit with pears, bannana's or peaches and it still comes out pretty good. if you want it more chunky for the older infant who is getting into feeding themselves- then first put in the meat and blend that so that its chunky but not to big of chunks and able for your little one to eat thin take that out and set aside and blend the apples and squash to your likeing and then add in the beef afterwords for a different texture of smooth with beef chunks.

Camille's pumpkin rice pudding

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked brown rice
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (you can use the canned stuff too but now that sugar pumpkins are going tobe aplenty, use them :-)
3 tablespoons of plain yogurt
dash of ginger and nutmeg

Directions:

1) Add cooked rice and pumpkin puree into a saucepan and warm on low. Stir the mix as you are warming it. This takes about 10 minutes. Don't walk away because if it burns, it smells REALLY bad!! Yep, experience!

2) Once warm, add yogurt and spices and then serve. You can blend it a small bit if your baby doesn't like the texture but James does really well with the small cooked mushy rice grains - he's 7 months

TIP:Oh yeah, make sure you save some for your baby! My DH actually ate almost all of this and James barely had any the first time I made it!

This keeps well in the fridge for about 2 days - just warm and stir it all up again.

Mommy's sweet potato fries with pumpkin dip - by Angie

Ingredients:

1 Sweet potato
1T olive oil
1 small pumpkin or 1 can of 100% pumpkin puree
1 Cup Whole milk yogurt
Dash of cinnamon and/or nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*
2. Peel sweet potato and cut into 6-8 wedges (depending on how big the potato is).
3. Coat potatoes with about 1T of olive oil
4. Place wedges on a cookie sheet so they’re not touching
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until they’re crisp

While they’re baking…
1. Cut a small pumpkin into 4-8 pieces
2. Place them in a microwave steam bag and toss in the microwave
3. Steam on high for 15 minutes
4. Let them cool to the touch and then scrape out the meat
5. Puree the meat of the pumpkin if a smoother texture is desired
6. Add ½ cup of puree to 1 cup of whole milk yogurt
7. Stir in a dash of cinnamon and or nutmeg

TIP: Save any extra pumpkin for additonal meals.

Margot's Quinoa & Pumpkin

Ingredients:

1 cube of quinoa (I cook it for the adults and then set some aside to freeze in ice-cube trays - transfer to a zipper freezer bag, and pop out a cube as needed)

1 cube of pumpkin (I bought a can of pure pumpkin after reading the notes about it here on this site! I spooned out the can into ice cube trays and now have a freezer baggie full)

1 large spoon of natural, no-sugar-added applesauce or a cube of your homemade apple puree (I like the TreeTop brand of applesauce and it's often on sale at my grocery store)

Instructions:

Defrost the 2 frozen cubes (either overnight in the fridge or in the microwave) and add the dollop of applesauce. Mix well and feed to happy 10-month-old girl!

If you'd like to introduce yummy spices, you can also add a light sprinkle of cinnamon and/or ginger to this recipe. I am just starting to do this for my daughter and she seems to like it!

Dora's Pumpkin Mix

Ingredients:

2 cups of pumpkin cut in cubes
1 carrot
small garlic clove
1/2 cup of coconut milk
few almonds (**)
a bit of pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin seeds, chilli pepper (optional), all freferably freshly ground

Instructions:

steam carrot, pumpkin and garlic.

slightly fry spices in a pan with a little oil (canola) or butter, don't burn them. add coconut milk, heat up. blend steamed vegetables,almonds and the coconut sauce in a mixer till smooth, adding water to make the puree finer.

Tips: you'll be surprized how easy babies can be with spices. for bigger siblings and grownups add soaked and cooked red lentils and salt and serve with rice.

(**) It is recommended that the non-allergic baby be introduced to tree nuts anywhere between 12-24 months of age. For the allergic baby, introducing tree nuts should be after 24 months of age; some suggest waiting far longer. PLEASE check with your pediatrician prior to introducing nuts!

Kathie's Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 large baked sweet potato
2 TBSP apple juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
formula, milk, or juice for consistency

Instructions:

Process sweet potato, juice, and cinnamon in food processor until smooth. Freeze in ice cube tray covered for 24 hours or more. Put two frozen cubes of sweet potato in food processor and add formula, milk, or juice and process adding liquid until mixture is consistency of soft serve ice cream or yogurt.

Tips: I made this recipe for my seven month old granddaughter when she started teething. She wouldn't eat much of anything and sweet potatoes ae one of her favorites. I added formula and she loved the cold soft food on her gums!! She got formula and food and soothed her gums too!!

Karita's Baked Fall Surprise

Ingredients:

1 small sugar pie pumpkin
3 Macintosh apples

1 large acorn squash

1 cup cooked brown rice

Instructions:

Cut the pumpkin in half and scopp out the ick and seeds then dice
Peel and take the core from the apples then dice

Add pumpkin and apples to a steamer basket and steam until tender and soft - blend until no lumps are there but not too thin!

Half the squash and scoop out the ick and seeds.

Add the blended pumpkin and apples to the cooked rice and mix up well.

Add the mix of pumpkin,apples and rice to the squash halfs, in the holes and put the squash halfs in the oven face up ( just had to be sure you knew this :))

Bake, covered with foil, in a 375 oven for approx 1 hour.

Tips: My 3 year old LOVES to have his own squash bowl and use his spoon (well fingers actually!) and for my 6 month old I puree it all up. He loves this all purred together!

Maggie's Yummy Pancakes & "Syrup"

Ingredients:

Pancake mix-
1-1/2 cups buckwheat pancake mix
3/4 cups unsweetened soymilk
1 egg
2 tbsp/ oil
2 mashed bananas
1/3 cup apple puree
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tbsp. sugar in the raw

-syrup-
1/3 cup pureed pumpkin
4-5 pears
1/2 teaspoom allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves

-spiced nuts -**
1 cup pecans
1/3 cup 100% pure maple syrup
4 tbsp. water
1/2 tbsp. cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Mix all pancake ingredients together. I do mini pancakes, about 4 to a twelve inch pan. On medium heat, melt a little butter in the pan (between batches too), to keep from sticking and to add crispiness!!!

Cook first side until the cakes begin to bubble and are nice and brown(about 2 minutes). Then flip, but be careful not to over cook (just about 1 minute). Then keep warm in a 250 degree oven.

2. While the pancakes are cooking puree the pumpkin with the pear, allspice and cloves.

3.The spiced nuts ** are fast and easy. In a medium pan mix pecans, syryp, cinnamon and water. Simmer over low to medium heat until all the liquid is gone. make sure to stir frequently!!

4. Pile pancakes with "syrup" topped with spiced nuts!!!

Tips: This is great for the whole family! Our two year old loves this and so does my 26 year old (my husband- hahaha). Served with a side of turkey sausage, this is a great way for us to start our day!! Plus, there are so many options, doing a puree of peaches and pears as the syrup, Or mashing peaches into the mix instead of bananas.... the possibilities are endless!!!

(**) It is recommended that the non-allergic baby be introduced to tree nuts anywhere between 12-24 months of age. For the allergic baby, introducing tree nuts should be after 24 months of age; some suggest waiting far longer. PLEASE check with your pediatrician prior to introducing nuts!

Amanda's Veggie & Grain Mix

Ingredients: -steamed carrots, zuchinni, potato, green beans (or whatever you have) -baked sweet potatoes -baked acorn squash -baked butternut squash or baked pumpkin -applesauce -brown rice or whole wheat pasta -cooking liquid of your choice (water, chicken brother)

Instructions:

puree all cooked ingredients to desired consistancy. Make chunkier for older babies. If using pasta, you can use small pasta and add in at the end to make chunckier. Freeze using "cube method".

Tips: My baby loves this! We pretty much use any type of veggie! The applesauce sweetens it a little bit as well as the sweet potato's. add water to thin down.

Enjoy!

KATHIE's Golden Delicious Apples

Ingredients:

6 GOLDEN DELICIOUS APPLES
1 TSP CINNAMON
1 TSP IMITATION VANILLA (CONTAINS NO ALCOHOL)
1 TSP MAPLE SYRUP

Instructions:

WASH APPLES THROUGHLY. PLACE IN BAKING DISH WHOLE AND UNPEELED.

ADD 1/4 CUP WATER TO PAN. BAKE AT 350 DEGREES COVERED FOR 45-60 MINUTES UNTIL SOFT AND SKIN IS POPPED OPEN. COOL AND THEN PEEL AND CORE. PROCESS WITH REMAINING INGREDIENTS.

TIps:THIS IS A GREAT BREAKFAST MIXED WITH CEREAL ON A COLD MORNING. MY 9 MONTH OLD GRANDAUGHTER LOVES IT, BUT I HAVE TWO GRANDSONS, 5 AND 9 THAT ASK FOR SHANNON'S BAKED APPLE BABY FOOD IN THEIR OATMEAL WHEN THEY SPEND THE NIGHT!!!! IT'S A MUCH HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE FOR THEM THAN THE SUGAR THEY USED TO ASK FOR IN OATMEAL.

Elena's Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato
1 small zucchini
1 small butternut or acorn squash
1 can (or partial can) pinto or black beans
1-2 cups vegetable stock
Dash of chili powder, garlic and oregano (all optional)

Instructions:

Peel and dice sweet potato, zucchini and squash. Combine with beans, vegetable stock and spices in a medium saucepan. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Save some for yourself and puree for baby!

Tips: Variations:

Peeling and dicing a squash is hard! I make this recipe when I am baking squash to puree and freeze. Then I scoop the baked squash into the other ingredients when they are almost done simmering.

I’ve used canned, organic black beans, pinto beans and even a mixture of pinto beans with lentils and barley. All are good!

Tassu's Tasty Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

4 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 cup apple juice
1 cup couscous
1/4 cup prunes, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried apple, chopped
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 teaspoon cardamom, ground
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped, optional (**)

Instructions:

Steam acorn squash halves about 15 minutes, until tender. Let drain, then place in a large roasting pan, cavity side up. Preheat oven to 350 F.

While squash is steaming, bring apple juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes to absorb the juice.

Stir prunes, cranberries, apples, apple juice concentrate, cardamom, and maple syrup into the couscous.

Divide fruit couscous evenly between the steamed acorn squash halves. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans, if desired.

Tips: A sturdy knife to slice acorn squash in half is a necessity. To make the squash easier to cut, pierce the skin in a few spots, place it in a microwave oven and heat on high for 2 minutes. Let stand for another few minutes before carving.

• When halving, cut through the stem end to the point rather than across the diameter.

• To prevent halves from rocking on the baking tray, cut a small slice off the bottom to flatten it.

• The ribbed shape of the acorn squash makes peeling it virtually impossible, but wonderful for stuffing with a wide variety of fillings. It is most often served cooked in its shell

(**) It is recommended that the non-allergic baby be introduced to tree nuts anywhere between 12-24 months of age. For the allergic baby, introducing tree nuts should be after 24 months of age; some suggest waiting far longer. PLEASE check with your pediatrician prior to introducing nuts!

Christy's Quick Pumpkin Oatmeal

Ingredients:

cooked oatmeal
canned pumpkin
cinnamon

Instructions:

Warm cooked oatmeal with canned pumpkin and a pinch of cinammon, makes for a great fall treat on a cold morning.

Tips: I like to do 2 parts oatmeal to 1 part pumpkin.

Marie's Easy Buttternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients:

Butter
Diced Onion
Minced Garlic
Coriander
Sage (dried or chopped fresh)
Abborio rice
Veggie or Chicken broth (about 2x the amount of Abborio rice, i.e.1 cup rice, 2 cups broth) Cubed Butternut Squash Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Instructions: In a Rice Cooker:
(1) Melt butter
(2) Add onions, garlic, coriander + sage, mix + cook until onions are transparent.
(3) Mix in Abborio rice + cook for 3-4 minutes.
(4) Add Veggie/Chicken broth
(5) If you're rice cooker has a steam basket, put the cubed squash in the basket and place on the cooker, put on the lid and wait for the bell to go off when done!
(6) Mash the cooked squash and add a little more coriander, sage and butter to taste.
(7) Add shredded parmesan to the rice to taste.
(8) Mix squash + rice. Then serve!

Tips: If your rice cooker does not have a steam basket, roast squash (cut in half, place on cookie sheet with a thin layer of water and bake at 400 for 35-45min) or cook however you usually cook squash. If you don't have a rice cooker, make the risotto as indicated on the package of aborrio rice. A great meal that both parents and kids will like. Serve as a main dish or with roast chicken (use same herbs).

Carrie's Pumpkin, Pineapple Squash

Ingredients:

pumpkin

pineapple

squash

cinnamon

Instructions:

Half the pumpkin and squash. Remove all seeds, strings, and pulp. Cut into smal pieces and peel. Then put into a steamer for the time allotted. I suggest steaming vegetables separate, for about 15 - 20 minutes or until they are soft. The pineapple does not need to be cooked. Simply skin, cut and core the pineapple. Make sure the tiny black seeds are out. Puree with the pumpkin and squash for about 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Add in a dash of cinnamon. Put mixture into ice cube trays or in a food storage container. Serve warm.

Tips:: Thoroughly wash vegetables with a scrub brush and FIT (Grapefruit oil).
Freeze in ice cube trays then transfer to a frozen ziplock bag for easy storage. If your peditrician allows, you can even add a hint of nutmeg for an extra kick!

Baby's Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1/2 c.-1c. cooked turkey
1/2 c steamed green beans
1/2 cup steamed carrots
1/3 cup steamed butternut squash and/or acorn squash
1/4 cup steamed sweet potatoes
~1/3 cup reserved cooking liquid from turkey
Dash of pepper

Instructions:

Use leftover turkey from your turkey dinner (we used all turkey breast) and reserve some of the cooking liquid/juices from the turkey (a turkey broth). In a separate steaming pan, mix the green beans, carrots, and potaotes and steam until fork tender. Add all ingredients to the food processor and process until desired consistency.

Using a cupcake pan, add spoonfuls of the blended mixture to the pan filling each tin 2/3 full. Cover with freezer safe wrap and freeze until just frozen. Pop each "pot pie" out of the pan and place into a freezer safe gallon bag for easy serving. Take one out of the freezer and put into the refrigerator the night before serving to let thaw and reheat as needed.

Tips: I also add small pieces of crunchy wheat toast on the side for the "pastry" shell of the baby pot pie! Cooked chicken or pork could be substituted also. This recipe can easily be doubled or varied with the type of veggie added!