Tasty Tuesday

I am off to spend the day at my mom's. A little mental health day for me!

Here is a great recipe I made this past Wednesday perfect for a cold winter night!

Roasted Vegetable Soup!

What's new with E's eating..

Likes
asparagus
broccoli
mango chunks
graham cracker
cream cheese
couscous

Dislikes
pudding
vanilla ice cream
cottage cheese

I am currently trying to think of new meal ideas for E's lunch! What is your toddler's favorite lunch?

A Tasty Review

Over the past few weeks Eliza and I have had the pleasure of sampling Tasty Baby frozen organic food for babies and toddlers and it certainly has been a pleasure!

A little bit about Tasty Baby

Tasty Baby was started by two Malibu moms with a desire to create healthy, great tasting food. Shannan Swanson, a Cordon-Bleu trained chef, is the brains behind the recipes and Liane Weintraub, an environmentalist, helps to make Tasty Baby eco-friendly. Together they have developed a line of yummy organic baby food that is blast frozen to capture every last bit of healthy goodness. In addition to an amazing line of products for your little one they also have an impressive website that is jam packed with tasty information including recipes, blogs, and tips on living green.

Onto our review...here is a breakdown of the flavors we sampled. I say we because I always try everything I give E. If I wouldn't eat something I certainly wouldn't give it to her to eat.

Lie's a Peach
I was so pleased to see organic peaches. I have NOT been able to find organic peach baby food at the grocery store. Peaches are ranked high when it comes to pesticide use. It is the number 1 item you should by organic and yet I couldn't find organic peach baby food until now. The taste of this puree is delicious. Eliza gobbled it right down. I have also used Life's a Peach as a spread on her toast and her oatmeal. We can't forget about our Tasty mamas! You can use the extra Life's a Peach to whip up a Life's a Peach Bellini!

Hip 2 B Pear

This stage 1 puree is simply delish. E loves pears so I knew it would be a big hit!

Sweetie Pie

The best way to describe Sweetie Pie is by saying it tastes like Thanksgiving dinner. I felt like I was eating pumpkin pie. E is going to have to fight me for this one. This delectable stage 2 puree includes Organic Sweet Potato & Apple Puree with Cinnamon. YUM!

Bangos!

What is NOT to love about Bangos. A creamy puree of Organic Banana & Mango Puree with Vanilla. I can think of just about a hundred ways to use Bangos. It would be super tasty as a spread on waffles or pancakes or in a smoothie!

Peas on Earth

This stage 2 puree is a combo of Organic Sweet Pea and Brown Rice Puree with Mint. Unfortunately, it wasn't E's favorite. I am not sure if it was the mint or the texture but she wouldn't open her mouth after the first few bites. My mom hates mint so maybe it is genetic. I thought it was quite tasty. I won't give up on it yet as I know it takes time to develop tastes.

Corn in the USA

This newest offering from Tasty Baby is sure to be a hit. E is a little picky on texture and although the corn puree was not quite as smooth as the other stage 1's she still gobbled it down. Last night she took the bowl from me and was trying to lick it out of the bottom. I would have taken a picture but I was scared to bring the camera anywhere near her as she was covered in food. Below is a recipe I made for her one night using Corn in the USA!

Tasty Toddler Mexican Lasagna
* adapted from Rachel Ray's Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients

onion
ground beef
sharp cheddar
Muir Glenn Fire Roasted Tomatoes
Corn in the USA
mashed black beans
Cumin
tortilla
* The amount use will vary depending on how much your are making. I eyeballed everything.

Cook up ground beef and onions. Sprinkle with cumin. Add mashed black beans, Corn in the USA and fire roasted tomatoes. In a small Ramekin layer meat, tortilla and cheese. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

ENJOY!

Overall, I am extremely pleased with Tasty Baby. Even though E is eating mostly finger foods I still use lots of purees. They are great to use as spreads and in recipes! I am looking forward to sampling some of their other flavors including Kickin Chicken, Bollywood Baby and Mama Mia!

Head on over to Tasty Baby for more great info and to find out where to get some for your family!

Tasty Toddler Tuesday

I have to admit that I have been enjoying trying to come up with food for E to eat. I am excited about her eating "big people" food. It also gives me something to think about an focus on during the week.

Quinoa (Keen-wah) was my experimental grain (but not really a grain- actually a relative of leafy greens) of choice with little E this past week. I made a delicious curried quinoa for dinner one night- for the big kids- Pete and I- not for Eliza. Then I was inspired to make some dishes using this healthy grain for E. I checked out Wholesome Babyfood to see what I could scrounge up. I also grabbed two books from my local library that have been very helpful.

What do I love about Quinoa? It is reasonable priced. It is very high in protein and easy to digest.


My fist attempt was a recipe I thought sounded Yummy. It was Quinoa with applesauce and yogurt. I whipped some up for lunch one day at I have to say it was received with mixed reviews. I tasted a teensy bit and though it was delicious. That E just doesn't know sometimes.


Moving right along I decided to try out something a bit different. I went with cheese because cheeses makes most everything taste good. I melted in some cheddar and make Cheesy Quinoa Balls and they were a HIT!

Another combo I tried was sweet potato mixed into the cheesy quinoa. That was also a hit. I think cheese seems to be key here.

Other hits and misses from the past week

Hits
Cantaloupe
Shredded Cheddar

Misses
Raspberries

Undecided

Eliza is still undecided when it comes to spinach. I'll keep trying.

Here is Eliza's Dinner Buffet Tray- Who doesn't love a Buffet?

In her buffet tray she had: carrots, o's, meatballs, peas, noodles, spinach, shredded sharp cheddar, applesauce and some shredded apple.

This week we are adveturing with brown rice. I had better get some more cheese.

Poppin Peas like Candy

So my little Eliza is loving peas lately. Recently, I have been trying to give her more finger foods to eat. In the past she would usually gag whenever I gave her something with more texture than oatmeal, but lately she is really getting the swing of this eating biz! I bought some frozen organic peas and have been making them in small batches for her every few days. She loves them and pops them into her mouth rapid fire. I also cut up and steamed some carrots for her to eat. She is enjoying them as well. I am thinking of changing my Tasty Tuesday to recipes from my toddler feeding adventures.

One morning I couldn't figure out how to keep the banana bits from slipping between her fingers. Then I saw the box of Cheerios on the counter and decided to make her some Cereal Covered Banana Bits! It was a huge hit and she could finally get a hold of those slippery bananas! Did I forget to mention how fun it is to smash Cheerios with a rolling pin! woo hoo The things that get my motor revving these days.

YUMM-O

What? Do I have something on my face?

Tasty Tuesday and Duty Served

I made it through Jury Duty. Honestly, I kind of enjoyed the whole experience. Well, except the part where I was a total airhead and forgot to sign in and then had to be called back to the window. "Ma'am, Excuse me ma'am, you Need to sign in." Or the time I thought the judge dismissed me and I left the courtroom and had to be called back in, "Ma'am, Excuse me Ma'am, you are not dismissed." Aside form all that I thought it was fun.

I learned....
that in my county and possibly in all of New Jersey they are NO LONGER giving exemptions. The reason is fairly obvious. The jury pool was getting too small so the same people were being called back to serve. In this county the same 19,000 were coming back in every 12 months. I think that is kinda scary. I know everyone moans and groans about jury duty, but I think it is a privilege to serve on a jury.

The courthouse where I served was beautiful. It is the original Victorian style courthouse from 1825. The courtroom where I sat at one time held high profile murder cases where a crowd of spectators observed from the top balcony. The balcony is now closed off but you can still see the original railings. additionally, The tree where they did public hangings is still standing outside the courthouse. The last public hanging took place in 1892 and had only one witness. The man was hung for killing his wife. I will remind Pete of that when he starts to get fresh.

and now a Tasty Tuesday Recipe from Dana

KIDS SOUP

Ingredients
5 cups Canned vegetable or chicken stock
3 Carrots, sliced into rounds
4 stalks Celery, chopped
1 Large potato, peeled and diced
3 Zucchinis, diced
1 cup Cauliflower
3 Plum tomatoes, diced (or one 4 ounce can)
1/2 cup Shelled peas (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup Corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup Elbow macaroni, optional


Preparation
Place stock in large pot. Add carrots, celery, potatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, tomatoes.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add peas, corn and macaroni. Then simmer for 10 minutes more.

Tasty Tuesday

This is an appropriate recipe since I basically live among ears of corn. Head over to Just Talk for another delicious dish.


CAJUN BUTTERED CORN ON THE COB

INGREDIENTS

8 medium ears sweet corn
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth


DIRECTIONS
In a large kettle, bring 3 qts. of water to a boil; add corn. Return to a boil; cook for 3-5 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the chili powder, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne; cook and stir for 1 minute. Combine cornstarch and broth until smooth; gradually whisk into butter mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Drain corn; serve with seasoned butter.

Tasty Tuesday

Yum! It is Tasty Tuesday. Thanks to Dana who served up this recipe- check out Just Talk for more yummalicious fun!

MIXED BAKED BEANS
1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans
1 1/2 cups dried kidney beans
1 1/2 cups dry great Northern beans
14 cups water
1/2 pound salt pork, cut into 1/8" strips
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
3 cups water
3 teaspoons dry mustard
3 tablespoons molasses
11/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Pick over and wash dried beans. Rinse well, drain. Combine beans and water in a large Dutch oven or cast-iron pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and allow to stand one hour. Drain and return beans to Dutch oven.

Stir in remaining ingredients, leaving salt pork near top. Cover and bake at 300° for three hours. Uncover, and bake an additional 30 minutes or until beans are tender.

Tasty Tuesday

This sounds delish- but where's the VODKA? Thanks Dana for the awesome recipe. Check out Just Talk for another refreshing summer bev!

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 cups of water
10 ounces frozen strawberries, pureed (fresh would do perfectly well)
sugar to taste


Directions:

Combine lemon juice water, and 3/4 of the strawberry puree. Add sugar until you have reached the desired tartness/sweetness. Add strawberry puree until the strawberry/lemon taste balance is about equal.



DRINK & ENJOY

Tasty Tuesday

Thanks to Dana at Just Talk you can make your own ice cream! I hope everyone is enjoying some cool treats this summer!

Try this cool and simple recipe to make your own ice cream. Your taste buds will thank you!


1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons rock salt (or regular salt if you can’t find rock salt)
1 gallon size Ziploc bag
1 pint size Ziploc bag
Ice

Fill the gallon size bag (the larger bag) with ice about half way and add the salt and seal it.
Mix the sugar, milk and vanilla in the small pint sized bag and seal it.
Open up the large bag and put the small bag inside and seal the large bag again.
Shake the bag and you’ll see your mixture in the small bag turn into ice cream! (It will take about 5 minutes of shaking)
Open up the small bag and enjoy!! tOP WITH YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM TOPPINGS...

Tasty Tuesday

Hi! Here I am when it is almost Wednesday with my Tasty Tuesday recipe. Dana had it to me early, but I have been a bit hectic lately and totally forgot to put up the post.

Why have I been so hectic? I have been trying to get out the invites for E's Eco-friendly first birthday, packing for our vacation, write posts, scheduling posts, and deciding to chop off all of my hair! So I am sorry if I haven't been commenting much. I am still thinking of everyone!

Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of garlic
1 pound of chopped celery
1 3/4 pound shredded carrots
3 tablespoons of Parsley
3 tablespoons of basil
1 tablespoon of pepper
3 gallons of beef stock(you can use vegetable or chicken stock)
1/2 # 10 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 # 10 can of green beans
1/2 # 10 can of kidney beans
1/2 # 10 can of garbanzo beans
1 pound of elbow macaroni

Preparation

Saute the garlic and onions in olive oil.

Add parsley, basil, and pepper.
To this add celery then the carrots.
Add small amount of water and par boil until the vegetables are tender.
Add beef stock and bring to a boil.
Add diced tomatoes, green beans then kidney beans and garbanzo beans.
Bring to a boil then simmer on low for 2 hours.

Tasty Tuesdays

Happy Tasty Tuesday. Thanks Dana for this awesome recipe!
CAJUN STYLED SWEET POTAOTES

Ingredients:
2 Sweet Potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
1/4 teaspoon Rosemary
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne


Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Brush each half with a bit of water. Rub the seasoning mix over the cut surface of each half.

Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, or in a shallow pan. Bake in preheated oven until tender, or about 1 hour.



EAT & ENJOY!!!

Tasty Tuesday

It is Tasty Tuesday. This recipe was contributed by Dana. Check out her blog for another Yummalicious recipe.

EASY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1 (14-oz.)can Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
3/4 to 1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups biscuit baking mix
granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. In large mixer bowl, beat Eagle® Brand, peanut butter, egg and vanilla until smooth. Add biscuit mix; mix well. Chill at least 1 hour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on un-greased baking sheets. Flatten with fork.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned (do not over bake). Cool. Store tightly covered at room temperature

PEANUT BLOSSOMS: Shape as above; do not flatten. Bake as above. Press solid milk chocolate candy drop in center of each cookie immediately after baking.

Tasty Tuesday er Tasty Wednesday

So this is pretty much my life- always a day late. I am a day late with my Tasty Tuesday but it doesn't make it any less Tasty. Dana knows me all too well and sent me a recipe with black beans and Guacamole. UM- can you say YUMM-O. These are two of my fav foods. Check out Just Talk for another amazing black bean recipe. Her recipe looks so good I just might have to try it out tonight. You won't be sorry!

Black Bean Guacamole

Ingredients:
2 large avocado
juice from 2 limes lime
1 can of black beans(rinsed and drained)
2 green onions chopped
2 tomato seeded and chopped
hot sauce or cayenne pepper to taste



Directions:
cut and scoop out avocado, discarding center. Mash avocado meat, add juice from fresh lime.
Add remaining ingredients with a little salt if desired.

Serve with tortilla chips!

EAT & ENJOY!!

Tasty Tuesday

Sorry I am so late on my Tasty Tuesday post. It has been a crazy few days. I am hoping to get pictures from the wedding up very soon. I am sorry I have been MIA from commenting. Having a 10 year old and a 9 month old is whipping my butt.


Here is an awesome recipe from Dana. Enjoy!

Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta
1 package bow tie pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large chicken breast fillets, chopped
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup fat free cream
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/4 teaspoon lemon rind, grated
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove of garlic
4 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped

Bring water to boil in large stock pot. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in large pan or wok. Add chicken in small batches, stir frying quickly until tender. Remove from pan.

In a small bowl mix together chicken stock, cream, lemon rind and juice, sugar, soy sauce. Stir then add corn starch and stir more. Add minced garlic to pan, stir, then add mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until thickens.

Next add chicken and pasta back into pan and stir. Add parsley and mix together. Remove from pan and serve while hot.

Tasty Tuesday

A big thanks to Dana for this Tasty Tuesday recipe!

Let's switch things around this week... Here is an easy recipe your little ones are sure to love!!


KIDS STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

2 ice cubes
1 c. milk
1/3 c. cottage cheese
2/3 c. frozen strawberries
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Utensils:

blender (You'll need help from your adult assistant.)
serving glass
measuring cups and spoons
Preparation

Pour all of the ingredients into the blender.
Put the lid on the blender and blend for 45 to 60 seconds until smooth.
Pour your smoothie into a glass and enjoy.
DRINK & ENJOY!!!

Tasty Tuesdays

This week's Tasty Tuesday recipe is a wonderful salsa. I LOOOOVE salsa and eat in on almost everything. Jump into summer with the tangy salsa recipe. Pop on over to Just Talk for a fresh salsa recipe. YUM-O!







FIERY FRUIT SALSA

Sweet mango is a welcome addition to this spicy chipotle salsa.

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen® organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained1/2 ripe medium mango, peeled, diced
4 medium sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro1 tablespoon fresh lime juice1 teaspoon finely chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)

In food processor, place drained tomatoes. Cover and process until coarsely chopped. Place in medium bowl.
Stir in remaining ingredients.
Serve with tortilla chips or serve on top on fresh fish

Tasty Tuesdays

Here is another Tasty Tuesday recipe contributed by Dana!




Tex-Mex Caesar Salad


1/4 pound purchased cornbread cut into 1-inch cubes
Olive oil cooking spray
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 skirt steak (1 1/4-pound) trimmed of fat, cut crosswise into 4 pieces
2 limes 1/4 cup juice and 1 teaspoon zest
1 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 large tomatillos husks removed, washed
1 ear fresh corn shucked, silks removed
1 large red onion cut into thick slices
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 container hearts of romaine leaves (4-ounce)
2 oz shredded Cotija or Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cornbread on a baking sheet and coat with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each of the chili powder and cumin and gently toss. Bake 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted; cool.

Meanwhile, spray steak pieces with olive oil spray and season with 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, oregano, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper; marinate at room temperature while preparing grill.

Prepare an outdoor grill or heat a stovetop grill pan over medium heat. Spray tomatillos, corn, and red onion slices with olive oil spray. Grill tomatillos and corn 12 minutes, and onion 8 minutes, turning often, until lightly charred in spots; transfer to a cutting board. Grill steaks 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest on cutting board.

In a large salad bowl, whisk mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons water, then whisk in anchovy paste, lime zest, and the remaining chili powder, cumin, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Dice tomatillos, cut corn kernels from cob, and cut onion into strips; add to dressing with romaine, cheese, and cornbread croutons; toss. Cut steak across the grain and add to salad.

EAT & ENJOY!!

Don't forget to check out Dana's 100th post!

Tasty Tuesdays

Here is the latest edition of Tasty Tuesdays! It was contributed by Dana from Just Talk. Check out her blog for another tasty recipe.

In preparation for summer try a

Minted Crushed Berry Limeade at your next party!
Ingredients:

cup fresh blackberries
cup fresh blueberries
cup fresh raspberries
cup superfine sugar
cup cassis or blackcurrant liqueur
cup plus 8 additional fresh mint leaves
2 cups lime juice, freshly squeezed
3 cups cold water
8 slices lime, cut -inch thick
Preparation
In a blender, combine the berries, sugar, cassis, and mint. Pulse just until the berries are crushed, but not fully pureed. Pour mixture into a 2-quart pitcher or large mixing bowl. Add lime juice and water. Taste and adjust sweetness with additional sugar if necessary. Chill mixture completely.

To serve, pour the mixture into tall glasses filled with ice. Garnish with a mint leaf and a slice of lime on the edge of each glass.



DRINK & ENJOY!

Tasty Tuesdays

Here is the latest edition of Tasty Tuesdays! It was contributed by Dana from Just Talk. Check out her blog for another tasty recipe.

Since summer is coming I know we will all have more time to cook breakfast, especially us teachers! Vegan Blueberry Pancakes
2 cups white flour, preferably unbleached
3 Tbsp. sugar, preferably Sucanat
3 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups vanilla soy milk
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Add the soy milk and oil and mix until the batter is smooth.Ladle the batter onto the hot pancake griddle. Add frozen blueberries. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.Serve with fresh blueberries. EAT & ENJOY!

Tasty Tuesday

Here is the latest edition of Tasty Tuesdays! It was contributed by Dana from Just Talk. Check out her blog for another tasty recipe.

Vegetarian "Veggie & Bean" Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 c uncooked black beans OR 1 C. canned beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 c uncooked garbanzo beans OR 1 C. canned beans, drained & rinsed
2 celery stalks, sliced thin on the diagonal
2 small carrots peeled and sliced thin on the diagonal
1/2 lb asparagus OR 1 cup sliced green beans
1 Tblsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil OR 1 Tblsp fresh minced
1 tsp dried marjoram OR 1 Tblsp fresh minced
2 Tblsp water + 2 Tbslp lemon juice
1/4 c minced fresh parsley
1/2 red pepper, sliced in thin strips
Dressing:

12 Tblsp oilive oil
6 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (2 - 3 lemons)
basil, thyme, marjoram
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tiny pinch cayenne
Directions:
Put 6 qts water on to boil, add pasta & salt, cook al dente, drain and rinse with cold water, place in fridge to chill
Heat the oil in an 8 - 10 quart pan
Prep the veggies
Add the garlic to the oil
Add the carrots, celery & asparagus or green beans, and saute 5 minutes on med/high heat
Add the herbs and spices, saute briefly.
Drain and rinse the beans, then add to veggies.
Add the water and lemon juice, cover and simmer until veggies are tender/crisp.
Chill in pan in freezer for 15 min
Mix the dressing, combine all ingredients, including red pepper strips and minced parsley
Add salt & pepper, adjust seasonings to taste, chill for later, or devour immediately!
EAT & ENJOY!!