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Post by mamatomeadow on Feb 27, 2008 13:14:58 GMT -5
Meadow has just recently started solids...bananas, apricot and pear right now. Someone recommended a great method for storing homemade baby puree, so I thought I would pass it on. I puree in a blender, as opposed to a food processor, because that's all I have for now. And, I recommended adding a little lemon juice to preserve the color (particularly for banana or avocado). Then, I use a silicone mini-muffin pan to pour the puree into, pop it in the freezer for an hour or two, and when the puree is frozen solid I pop out the one-ounce servings and store them in a labeled plastic baggy.
I don't know how safe the silicone pan is, so that is a concern...but you can always use a metal pan (avoid the no-stick pans as they are toxic)..and use a butter knife to pop out the frozen puree.
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Post by RiverValleyMama on Feb 27, 2008 15:08:12 GMT -5
I just used ice cube trays. The lemon juice is a good tip! I know that you only need to use a trace amount but I recommend families with allergies to make sure their little one tolerates citrus well before doing this. I didn't know about the non-stick pans. Maybe we can find some useful websites on this matter to post in the resource section?
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Post by RiverValleyMama on Feb 29, 2008 19:22:39 GMT -5
One of the easiest, and best in my opinion, things to puree for baby food is orange fleshed veggies like sweet potato, pumpkin, squash and carrots.
You can bake, roast or peel and boil all of these.
Sometimes I'd make sweet and sometimes savory. With sweet potatoes and pumpkin as a sweet dish, I'd use things like molasses, real maple syrup, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. If I felt like making a savory dish, I'd use curry (coconut milk with the curry is oh so yummy), balsamic vinegar (balsamic with molasses is another great one- see below), and sometimes just butter.
I used to be somewhat of a Food Network junkie and I love Micheal Chiarello. He has a recipe for squash that I just can't get enough of. harry used to like it as well. Once he started using his fingers, I would skip the puree step and just give him the chunks.
Roasted Winter Squash Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello Show: Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello Episode: Country Thanksgiving About 6 pounds butternut squash (preferably 2 large squash) 2 sticks unsalted butter 4 tablesthingys finely chopped fresh sage leaves 3 tablesthingys finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 4 tablesthingys sugar 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup dark unsulphured molasses Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Halve lengthwise, discard the seeds, then cut into 1-inch dice. Place in a large bowl. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter ceases to foam and has turned a light brown, pull the pan off the heat and immediately add the sage, rosemary, sugar, vinegar (stand back so as not to get splattered), and molasses. Mix well and bring up to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the vinegar mixture over the squash and toss well, then transfer to a heavy rimmed baking sheet or baking dish large enough to hold the squash in a single layer. Place in the oven and roast, tossing at least once, until very tender and caramelized, about 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm, so the liquids are runny. Working in batches, if necessary, transfer the warm squash and all the cooking liquids to a food processor and process until smooth. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Molasses, real maple syrup and cinnamon are great with carrots as well.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different flavors and spices. Think about what babies eat all around the world. I truly believe that my willingness to share these flavors with Harry is the reason he likes so many different foods.
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