Wholesome Baby Food - Baby Food Recipes from our Tips Archives 

 

Thanksgiving Baby Food Meal Ideas for Baby

Baby does not have to be "left out" of Thanksgiving meals just because she is an infant.  Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for baby to explore foods and share in the family celebration.  Pull baby's high chair up to the dinner table and watch her joy and wonder as she takes part in the Thanksgiving tradition.  With some creativity, your baby can have a Thanksgiving dinner similar to what the big kids and adults are eating!  Click to Read the Recipes & Ideas

 

How to Make a Good Stock for Baby Food Recipes and More:  Vegetable, Beef or Chicken; what stock do you want to make?

Keys to Making a Good Stock:

• Simmering without Over-Simmering
• Skimming the cooking stock
• FRESH ingredients - you wouldn't eat those wilty, moldy veggies or 6 day old chicken in the fridge, why toss them into your stock?
COLD water

Click Here to get the recipes for all types of stocks.

What to Do with Leftover Baby Cereal

Even if you make your own cereals and do not have any leftover commercial boxes; it may be worthwhile to go and purchase a box or two. You can make some wonderful recipes for baby.

Baby cereal may be used in cookie and biscuit recipes, in pancake recipes, as a thickening agent for very thin purees and even used to help smooth out meat purees. It may also be used to make baby meatballs - replacing bread crumbs and giving some additional nutrients!

Baby Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup baby barley cereal (or other baby cereal)
1 cup formula (or another liquid such as milk)
1/2 cup mashed banana (or fruit of your choice)
1 tbsp melted margarine or butter (unsalted type)
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup baby oatmeal
apple juice (about 1/2 cup) Use water if you prefer
Add cinnamon, nutmeg, dash of vanilla or other flavourings if you wish!

Mix all ingredients together and add enough juice to make pancake consistency. Cook on cook top in frying pan as with "regular" pancakes!
 

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Baby Smoothie Recipes - Smoothies for baby provide some soothing relief to sore gums as well as healthful nutrition. Use those leftover baby food cubes to make baby smoothies too!
Try these yummy Baby Smoothie Recipes!
 

WINTER WARMER RECIPES
(These recipes may be adapted to suit younger babies. Leave out "advanced" ingredients and/or substitute others as needed!)

Warm Custard - A British Tradition!

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Heat the cream gently in a small pan. Whisk the egg yolks, sugara and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl until smooth. When the cream is just coming to the boil, pour it into the egg mixture and whisk well.

Return the mixture to the pan and heat again for another minute or so, whisking all the time until the mixture thickens. Be careful not to overcook or the mixture will curdle! Pour immediately over any hot or cold dessert and enjoy!

Apple Topped with Blueberries and Muesli

Ingredients

2 large apples, peeled and remove seeds - cut into wedges
1 cup frozen blueberries
75g (3/4cup)mixed fruit muesli (crush if needed for older babies)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
50g butter, melted
vanilla yoghurt to serve (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 200C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Lay apple wedges on baking tray and top with raspberries. Sprinkle muesli over, then drizzle with maple syrup and butter.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until tops are golden and fruit tender.
Serve custard apple warm with vanilla yoghurt.

Crockpot Bread Pudding (2 toddler thumbs up from us!!)

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups French bread cubes, toasted
2 1/2 cups milk, scalded, cooled slightly
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash nutmeg
dash salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup raisins, optional (chopped apples are great too!)
dessert sauce or whipped cream for garnish
PREPARATION:

Lightly butter the slow cooker then add bread cubes. In a small bowl, whisk together the scalded milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla, and melted butter. Pour milk mixture over the bread cubes then add raisins, if desired.

Gently, using a large spoon or spatula, press bread cubes down into mixture so all bread pieces will soak up milk mixture. Do not stir. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 5 to 6 hours, until bread pudding is set. Serve - lovely with Frozen Vanilla Yogurt!

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BAKED PLUM PUDDING
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
5 eggs
1 cup dried currants
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 cups bread cubes
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, toss currants, raisins and pecans with flour. Fold into butter mixture. Fold in bread, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and pumpkin pie spice. Pour into an 8x8 inch baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes, until set.

Old Fashioned Baked Custard

This old fashioned, traditional recipe uses only four ingredients. Make sure the quality of each ingredient is superb for best results.

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups whole milk (NOT skim)

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla until well blended. Add milk and mix with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour into six 6-oz. custard cups. Place cups in 13x9" pan and place in oven.

Fill pan around the cups with about 1" of water, being careful to not splash any water into the custard cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cold. Store leftovers in refrigerator. 6 servings

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Crockpot Baked Custard
From Diana Rattray,

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
PREPARATION:

In a mixing bowl combine eggs, sugar, vanilla and milk; mix well. Pour into a lightly buttered 1- or 1 1/2-quart baking dish or souffle which will fit in the slow cooker, and sprinkle with the nutmeg.
Place a rack or ring of aluminum foil in the slow cooker, then add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of hot water to the pot. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and place on the rack in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until set.
Serves 4 to 6.

OLD FASHIONED PLUM PUDDING (no steaming recipe) from The Governor's Inn, Ludlow VT

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cooked prunes, pitted
1 cup chopped walnuts

Pudding Sauce:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 2 cake pans with tube in center. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside. Mix sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and buttermilk. Add flour mixture. Fold in cooked, chopped prunes and nuts. Bake 45 minutes to an hour at 325 degrees in prepared tube pans. When puddings are done, remove from pans, prick all over immediately with a fork and pour pudding sauce over while still hot, pressing sauce into puddings with a spatula. Store puddings in refrigerator. Slice when cold. To serve: bring to room temperature. Serve with brandied hard sauce for Adults if desired. Freezes well.

**ensure age appropriateness for your baby!**