Homemade Baby Food #2: Sweet Potatoes.

Alright gang, this is attempt #2 at finding something Jack likes to eat besides "Momma Milk".  I bought some barley to mill, but decided to skip right to sweet potatoes.  He hated the avocado I mashed up.  He gaged at the rice cereal.  But I just had a feeling sweet potatoes would be a hit!  There are many different ways to cook the sw. pot.: "steam" boiling, microwaving, but I am choosing to do the baking method.

Here we go...

Sweet Potato Puree:

Preheat your oven to 425.

Prick your sweet potato with a fork and place it on a baking sheet.

Bake for about an hour, until the potato is mushy.

After it has cooled, split it down the middle lengthwise.

Scoop out the mush and put it in your baby food mill, blender or food processors.  I have a mini Cuisinart and it's perfect for doing something that isn't a single serving.  I have a hand mill for other things.

Once it is pureed take out a portion and thin with water, breast milk, or formula.  I think Jack did not like that the avocado tasted like my milk, so I have switched to Nursery Water.

And he.....

 Likes it!!!!

 It's cool to have sweet potatoes up your nose...every one is doing it.


***Store in the fridge for 3 day in an airtight container or in the freezer for 3 months.

Just a Few Crafts as of Late.

My sewing machine has been collecting cobwebs since the beginning of my pregnancy, but last week I decided to brave it and bring it out of the corner.  And you know what?  I miss it terribly.  I know why I have resisted, because my sewing room/guest bedroom is now a wreck!!  I dream of the day when I have a sewing/craft/gift wrapping room of my very own, and Andrew dreams of the day he has his own office (currently Jack's nursery).

Burp Clothes...

Tea Towels...

Homemade Baby Food #1: Rice Cereal.

Hello Friends,

I had this dream that I would take you on my journey of making Jack's baby food, partially as a how-to for people who think it would be difficult, partially to make me feel like I am fulfilling my degree in Family and Consumer Sciences Education (this is a classroom, right?) and mostly as accountability for myself to keep it up.  I say I had a dream because as of now he hates food.  It's still a little early but he gives me hungry eyes and reaches for my food every time I eat.  I imagine we will resume this journey in a few months, but I went ahead and documented this first go-round.

I will be primarily using this cookbook, Thank you Joanna :)

Let's make some Rice Cereal!!!

First you take 1/4 cup of brown rice.  I used organic brown.

 You pulverize it in a food processor or blender for 3-5 minutes.  I tried both and the blender totally trumped.  The food processor left pieces the size of couscous, but the blender created a fluffy powder.

 Next, you bring 1 cup of water to a simmer on the stove.

When you start seeing those tiny bubbles rising around the edge of the pan you add the rice powder and reduce the heat.  You'll keep on stirring until the water is absorbed.

 I then let mine cool for a few minutes.  You can now add water, formula or breast milk to the rice goo to make the perfect consistency for your love bug.  Again, Jack hated it, even when it was mixed with "liquid gold", but I'm not giving up on this.

You can refrigerate the unmixed rice cereal for 3 days and you can freeze it for 3 months.

 Here is my little Stinky, 4 months and going strong.