Baby Bumper

A few days ago, my poor baby bit his tongue while standing in his bed with his mouth against the rail of the bed. He bled pretty bad. I wasn't home when this happen, thank God, because I would have freaked out not knowing what to do.

While he was napping this morning I made him a bumper to go over the top rail of his bed. It took an hour to make, but that's because I don't have a sewing machine, really. I have the hand held, $9.99 Singer, which is pretty much worthless!!! After several tries, the stitching finally stood in place. I am pleased with the results and hopefully it will get the job done.

Buttermilk Biscuits

These come from Nourishing Traditions. Very good, but need planning ahead of time. Makes about 12 biscuits.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup unbleached white flour

2 cups light whole wheat flour

1 cup buttermilk

4 tbsp melted butter

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

unbleached flour

DIRECTIONS:

Mix flour with buttermilk to form a thick dough. Cover and leave in a warm place for 12 to 24 hours. Please in food processor and process several minutes to knead. Blend in remaining ingredients. Remove dough to a well floured pastry cloth or board and sprinkle with unbleached white flour to prevent sticking. Roll dough to about 3/4 inch thickness. Cut biscuits with a glass and place on a buttered baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 min. Serve with butter and honey or mustard and cold meats.

Crispy Potatoes

This one is adapted from Nourishing Traditions. It's was soooo yummy.

INGREDIENTS:

4 large potatoes, washed but not peeled, cut into 1/4 - inch cubes
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Toss potatoes cubes in butter, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on well oiled stainless steel baking pan. Bake at 450 degrees until bottoms are crispy, then turn occasionally until desired crispness is obtained. Add fresh thyme.

Readings

Judgment Sunday

The Reading is from Matthew 25:31-46

The Lord said, "When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Lemon-Lime Bars

This recipe was adapted from the May 2008 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. It turned out good, but way too sweet for me (my husband liked it). I even added 1/4 cups less sugar than called for. I had to increase my cooking time by 12 min or so, not sure why. This morning I packed all the squares in a tupperware container to bring them to work for people to eat, and forgot them laying on the counter :( Here's the recipe..............

INGREDIENTS:

.

2/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

4 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel, divided

6 eggs

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cups lemon juice

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. finely shredded lime peel

2 Tbsp. sifted powdered sugar

.

DIRECTIONS:

.

1. preheat oven to 350F. Line 13x9x2 inch pan with heavy foil; set aside.

2. For crust, in large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the lemon peel. Evenly press on bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 20 min.

3. For the filling: In a med bowl combine eggs, granulated sugar, remaining 1/2 cup flour, lemon juice, baking powder, and nutmeg. Beat on medium for 2 min. Stir in remaining lemon peel and the lime peel. Pour over hot crust. Bake for 20 min more or until edges are browned and center appears set. Remove to rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate covered for 2 hours.

4. To serve, sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar. Lift from pan using foil; cut into bars. Store covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Dangers of Bisphenol A (BPA) From Canned Food

I found this article here, that has raised a great concern to me. Here is what it states :



"According to the FDA, 17% of the American diet comes out of cans, and many of those have an epoxy liner made with Bisphenol A, a chemical which can mimic human estrogen and which is linked to breast cancer and early puberty in women. The Environmental Working Group tested canned food bought across America and found BPA in more than half of them, at levels they call "200 times the government's traditional safe level of exposure for industrial chemicals." There are no standards for BPA; it is allowed to be put in anything, and billions of pounds are produced each year.


EWG found:

Of all foods tested, chicken soup, infant formula, and ravioli had BPA levels of highest concern. Just one to three servings of foods with these concentrations could expose a woman or child to BPA at levels that caused serious adverse effects in animal tests.



5 Ways to Beat BPA from Canned Food:


- Don't use canned baby formula: All U.S. manufacturers use BPA-based lining on the metal portions of the formula containers. If you must use formula, choose powered or liquid in plastic bottles.

- Don't eat canned food if you are pregnant.


The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) says "We don't want to tell people not to eat canned beans or tomatoes," said CSPI nutritionist David Schardt. "But at the same time, it makes sense for all parents, and especially pregnant and nursing women, to minimize the exposure of their kids' developing bodies and brains to BPA."

- Buy in bottles, not cans. Many products, like tomato sauces, are available in bottles as well as cans. Does that white epoxy on the inside of the metal lid have BPA? Probably, but there is a lot less surface area than the whole inside of a can.

- Start cooking instead of just heating. The fact that 17% of the American diet comes out of cans is just a scandal when we are surrounded by fresh food. Cook it from scratch and avoid the problem altogether.

- Demand BPA-free cans. Not every manufacturer uses it; Some brands, like Eden Foods are BPA free. "



The reason this is concerning is because I can't think of one single person that does not have a can of something in their house. With so much garbage out there, this is why it's important to control what goes into our bodies as much as we can and therefore not treat them like a garbage disposal!

Top Foods to Eat Organic

If you are trying to eat healthily and sustainable, but finding that food prices keep you from buying all organic products, you might want to try shopping selectively. MSN has come out with a slide show of the top 12 foods that you should buy organic. Also, thedailygreen.com listed the top ten vegetables, fruits and grains that you should buy organic. This list is from the consumer's union's 2001 report on the EPA.

For consumers, the simplest solution is to choose organic foods, which contain two-thirds fewer residues. The foods below are highest in pesticides, and therefore best to buy organic.

Meat and Dairy - There's the likelihood that chicken, pork, and cow feed is grown with the help of pesticides, antibiotics and chemicals. Similar to milk and milk-based dairy products, many chemical pesticides could end up in the animal, which may end up in you. The fat in dairy products is another haven for pesticides, antibiotics, and bovine growth hormones. These get passed on to you through commercial milk, cheese, and butter. Organic dairies do not use chemicals or growth hormones like rGBH or rbST.

Coffee - Many of the beans you buy are grown in countries that don't regulate the use of chemicals and pesticides. Look for the Fair Trade Certified label on the coffee package or can; it will give you some assurance that chemicals and pesticides were not used on the plants. It will also mean that fair prices were paid for the end product in support of the farm that supplied the coffee, and that the farm workers are treated fairly.

Strawberries - On average, strawberries receive a dose of up to 500 pounds of pesticides per acre. If you buy strawberries out of season, they're most likely imported from countries that use less-than-stringent regulations for pesticide use.

Celery - has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the twenty-nine different chemicals that are used on conventional crops.

Apples - Scrubbing and peeling a fruit doesn't eliminate chemical residue completely

Peaches- Forty-five different pesticides are regularly applied to these delicately skinned fruits in conventional orchards.

Grapes - Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically. Vineyards can be sprayed with 35 different pesticides during different growth periods during the season and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape's permeable thin skin.

Sweet Bell Peppers - Peppers have thin skins that don't offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They're one of the most heavily sprayed vegetables out there and may be coated with nearly 40 commonly used pesticides meant to keep them insect-free.

Lettuce- Leafy greens are frequently contaminated with what are considered the most potent pesticides used on food.

Potatoes- America's popular spud ranks highest for pesticide residue. It may also be tainted by fungicides added to the soil for growing.

Tomatoes- The standard regimen of pesticides used on conventionally raised tomatoes numbers 30. Their easily punctured skins are no match for chemicals that will eventually permeate the whole tomato.


Other foods to buy organic:

Winter Squash Wheat
Spinach Pears
Green Beans


Dairy products and beef: Monsanto's Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) was approved for use by the FDA nearly 20 years ago and has raised concerns ever since. This hormone forces dairy cows to produce more milk when raised conventionally and opponents believe that it poses serious health risks to humans. Aside from growth hormones, milk cows and beef cattle are normally not allowed to graze freely and beef cattle may be force fed in overcrowded stock pens to quickly bring up their weight. Animals are packed so tightly together that heavy doses of antibiotics are necessary to keep down the levels of infection and disease. The same applies to chicken and pig farms, where thousands of animals are jammed together in large buildings and sadly many of them never see the sun in their entire lives!

You are what you eat, even if you don’t care about how these animals are raised. Stressed out farm animals loaded full of growth hormones, pesticide and herbicide residues and antibiotics not only aren't good for you, they also don't taste good. A happy animal equals better meat and dairy. This goes for eggs too. Crowded and unsanitary conditions only increase the chances of salmonella, mad cow disease or other stuff making its way into your kitchen.

Fruits and Vegetables: As stated above, some fruits and vegetables have thin permeable skins that allow pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizer residues to soak right in. No amount of washing will remove these chemicals, so if you buy conventional strawberries, peppers, celery or apples, just to name a few, be aware that you will be consuming the residue of up to 40 different fungicides, pesticides and herbicides. Some These pesticides are meant to kill things, and some are very persistent carcinogens and mutagens.

Wheat products: Conventional wheat has some of the highest pesticide residue levels on the market today. For this reason the Consumers Union suggests that you buy organic wheat and wheat products.

Bon Appetite!

...Did you know? Food industry experts are saying that Wal-Mart could possibly become the nation’s largest seller of organic products, surpassing Whole Foods, because of two reasons: its 2,000 supercenters and its lower prices. Already, Wal-Mart is the largest seller in organic milk.

Germany, Düsseldorf and Bratwurst

The Fernsehturm - "Television Tower"

The Altstadt at night - Old Town

The Königsallee - "King's Avenue"

My dinner - Mein Hauptmahl

Facts:

• Bratwurst is a compound German word - brat means fry, wurst means sausage.
  


• In Germany bratwurst are usually eaten outdoors, since its a 'street food'.
  


• No knife and fork are needed - in fact such finery would be considered rather weird in Germany.
  


• Brats are nearly always washed down with beer.



• Do not put yellow mustard on a brat! It is an abomination. The classic mustard for brats is Loewensenf-Düsseldorf (my hometown)- medium in color.
  


• Düsseldorf is the capital city of Nord Rhein-Westfallen. It is famous as Germany's capital of fashion and offers a wide scale of fascinating new architecture. The Altstadt ("old town") is one of the 49 boroughs of the German city of Düsseldorf, and belongs to City District. The Düsseldorfer Altstadt is known as the longest bar in the world (»längste Theke der Welt«), because the small Old Town has more than 300 bars and discotheques (know them all too well!). Famous is the special beer from Düsseldorf, the Altbier (Old beer), brewed from an old traditional recipe, which is only brewed in a few places in the world since the end of the 19th century. It is one of the country's wealthiest cities. Germans call it "the only metropolis ending with -dorf (German for village)". The Königsallee (nicknamed "Kö") is a boulevard in Düsseldorf noted for both the canal that runs along the boulevard's center, as well as for the luxury retail shopping venues located along its length.

I used to walk across this bridge every morning on my way to school



• Do not serve bratwurst on a hot dog bun! Brats are eaten on a 'brotchen'. Kathi makes a great brotchen mix that can be purchased at most German stores around the US.



• Along with good friends, brats are usually accompanied by good music, such as Heino. (just kidding about that one)

My Homemade Baby Wipes

I've been wrecking my brains about how to avoid diaper rash for our son, especially at daycare where everything seems to be impossible for them to do. Yesterday I came across a site that showed how baby wipes can be made at home. Not only does it not contain harsh chemicals, but it will save a lot of money as well. These can also be made from old receiving blankets, cut into proportionate squares, which can be reused. The wipe recipes I found, didn't work for me. Baby shampoo, which has chemicals (ALL DO! even the 'natural' one's), will stay on your baby's skin all day long until bath time and that's not OK. To have some sort of disinfectant I used organic APPLE CIDER vinegar.





Here's my recipe:

2 cups of bottled water
1 1/2 tbsp of oil (olive oil based with chamomile and others - made myself)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 roll of paper towel

Cut a roll of paper towels in half. Bread knife works best. Remove the center cardboard tube. Combine the liquid ingredients and poor into a refill wipe container. Dip the paper towel roll in and squeeze it and resoak it until all is moistened. Pull wipes out from the center of roll.

Photoshop CS3

Before

After

My dad bought me the newest Photoshop version and I have been so addicted to it. You can do ANYTHING with it! It takes time to learn the basics (Adobe provides classes), but once you do you can do so much, not to mention on a more professional level.

My New Cookbook

My mom gave me this cookbook. I will start cooking from it soon. Here's more about the book and the author.

9 Months Old!

Our big boy is 9 months old today! He's 30 inches and 22 1/2 lbs. Some of the things he started doing now:

• Crawling using his knees
• pulling himself up on anything to stand on his feet
• climbing on anything and everything, even Wolfi, my parents German Sheppard
• his k-9 are almost all the way out

This is how we find him, talking up a storm, at bed time:

Crawling while wearing his new beach hat.

Tearing into his new socks.

Chicken Alfredo

INGREDIENTS:
Coarse salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 pound of your favorite pasta
Salt and pepper
.
DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add heavy cream and cheese. When cheese is melted, add egg yolk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta and transfer to a large serving platter. Pour sauce over pasta, salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

For the Chicken:

I boiled the chicken and it turned out very moist and tender. Grilling for this recipe doesn't work for me, since it becomes too though and dried out.

Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS:

5 oz white pearl onions, peeled and halved

2 cups yellow corn kernels (canned & drained, frozen or fresh)

3 cups milk (whole milk preferred to avoid curdling)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste
.

DIRECTIONS:

Saute halved onions in olive oil until golden brown. Salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, heat corn kernels with a small amount of olive oil in a stock pot. Add onions and continue to cook. Add milk and bring to a simmer. Taste and salt and pepper as needed. Remove spoonfuls of the soup at a time to a blender to puree, then return to mixture. The goal is to puree enough soup (in batches) to get a creamy chowder-like consistency, but leave enough corn and onions whole for texture.

May 21 - Constantine & Helen, Equal-to-the Apostles

This great and renowned sovereign of the Christians was the son of Constantius Chlorus (the ruler of the westernmost parts of the Roman empire), and of the blessed Helen. He was born in 272, in (according to some authorities) Naissus of Dardania, a city on the Hellespont. In 306, when his father died, he was proclaimed successor to his throne. In 312, on learning that Maxentius and Maximinus had joined forces against him, he marched into Italy, where, while at the head of his troops, he saw in the sky after midday, beneath the sun, a radiant pillar in the form of a cross with the words: "By this shalt thou conquer." The following night, our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him in a dream and declared to him the power of the Cross and its significance. When he arose in the morning, he immediately ordered that a labarum be made (which is a banner or standard of victory over the enemy) in the form of a cross, and he inscribed on it the Name of Jesus Christ. On the 28th Of October, he attacked and mightily conquered Maxentius, who drowned in the Tiber River while fleeing. The following day, Constantine entered Rome in triumph and was proclaimed Emperor of the West by the Senate, while Licinius, his brother-in-law, ruled in the East. But out of malice, Licinius later persecuted the Christians. Constantine fought him once and again, and utterly destroyed him in 324, and in this manner he became monarch over the West and the East. Under him and because of him all the persecutions against the Church ceased. Christianity triumphed and idolatry was overthrown.

.

In 325 he gathered the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, which he himself personally addressed. In 324, in the ancient city of Byzantium, he laid the foundations of the new capital of his realm, and solemnly inaugurated it on May 11, 330, naming it after himself, Constantinople. Since the throne of the imperial rule was transferred thither from Rome, it was named New Rome, the inhabitants of its domain were called Romans, and it was considered the continuation of the Roman Empire. Falling ill near Nicomedia, he requested to receive divine Baptism, according to Eusebius (The Life of Constantine. Book IV, 61-62), and also according to Socrates and Sozomen; and when he had been deemed worthy of the Holy Mysteries, he reposed in 337, on May 21 or 22, the day of Pentecost, having lived sixty-five years, of which he ruled for thirty-one years. His remains were transferred to Constantinople and were deposed in the Church of the Holy Apostles, which had been built by him (see Homily XXVI on Second Corinthians by Saint John Chrysostom).

.
As for his holy mother Helen, after her son had made the Faith of Christ triumphant throughout the Roman Empire, she undertook a journey to Jerusalem and found the Holy Cross on which our Lord was crucified (see Sept. 13 and 14). After this, Saint Helen, in her zeal to glorify Christ, erected churches in Jerusalem at the sites of the Crucifixion and Resurrection, in Bethlehem at the cave where our Saviour was born, another on the Mount of Olives whence He ascended into Heaven, and many others throughout the Holy Land, Cyprus, and elsewhere. She was proclaimed Augusta, her image was stamped upon golden coins, and two cities were named Helenopolis after her in Bithynia and in Palestine. Having been thus glorified for her piety, she departed to the Lord being about eighty years of age, according to some in the year 330, according to others, in 336.

Baked Mini Cheeseburgers with White Bean Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground beef
4 English muffins
4 slices of your favorite cheese

For the Salad:
1 can white beans
1 small onion, sliced
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp of canola oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 orange pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Salt and pepper ground beef. Form the meat into 4 small patties. Bake for 20-25 min. Pull patties out 5 min before being done and top with cheese. Return to oven for the remaining 5 min.

2. Drain and rinse the beans and combine with the remaining ingredients.

Meat Cigars with Garlic and Herb Coucous

INGREDIENTS:
Makes about 20 cigars
1lb ground beef
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp all-spice
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
Ground black pepper
2 tsp Kosher salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 package of spring rolls
Canola oil for frying

.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in the pan on medium heat, and add the onions. Cook until soft and transparent, but not browned. Add meat, salt, black pepper, spices and herbs and mix everything using a fork to keep the ground meat separate, stir until the meat is not pink anymore, about 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and slowly add the beaten eggs. Stir constantly until the mixture becomes creamy but do not allow the eggs to scramble. Remove the meat mixture from the pan into a plate, and set aside to cool.

2. Fill each spring roll with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the meat mixture and roll into cigars as shown in the photo.Fry the cigars, turning once, until golden brown on each side. Drain on a plate lined with paper towel. Serve hot.

.

3. For the couscous, I used organic store bought, ready to use "Herb and Garlic" flavored couscous and added in chopped cilantro (about 1 1/2 tbsp) and parsley (1 tbsp) to give it a 'fresh' taste.

Readings

John 20:24-29

Jesus Appears to Thomas

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Romanian Crêpe

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs1 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, to make a thin layer. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot and fill with Nutella or whatever.

Chicken Bites with Apricot Mustard Sauce and Parmesan baked Zucchini

INGREDIENTS:
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 " slices
2 egg, mixed with
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the chicken - prep technique only

For the Sauce:

1 cup apricot jam or preserves
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine egg, milk and garlic in a shallow dish and set aside for about 15 minutes to let flavors combine.
3. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley and pepper in another shallow dish.
4. Dip zucchini slices into egg mixture, then into crumbs and place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn over and bake for 5 minutes more or until brown and crispy.

6. In a small bowl, stir the apricot jam, mustard, and thyme together until combined. Allow chicken to cool 10 minutes before serving with apricot mustard mixture.

Butternut Squash & Apple Bake Babyfood

1 Butternut squash

1 large Macintosh apple

1. Peel and dice apples

2. Cut butternut squash in half, scoop out seeds

3. Place halves face UP in a pan and add with an inch of water to the pan

4. Place diced apples in the squash “holes” where the seeds were

5. Pour water over the apples so that there is water in the squash holes - cover pan with tinfoil

6. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes or until the “shell/skin” puckers and halves feel soft then scoop squash “meat” and apples out of the shell

7. Puree as needed, adding water to thin if required.

Organic Homemade Baby Food

1. Clean choice veggies and cut into small chunks
2. Place chunks into a steamer pan with just enough water visible through the steamer basket
3. Steam until tender
4. Do not reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the veggies if baby is under 8 months old as Nitrates from some veggies may seep into the cooking water
5. Place into food processor for pureeing
6. Add water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin consistency
7. Please in ice cube trays for freezing!

DONE!

Buffalo/BBQ Chicken Pizza

INGREDIENTS:

Food Processor Pizza Crust:

3 cup flour

3/4 tsp sugar1

1/2 tsp yeast

1 cup hot water

3/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp olive oil

Toppings:

1 small can of whole organic tomatoes, pureed

1 large chicken breast

8 oz mozzarella cheese

1 chive, julienned (use sliced red onions instead for BBQ)

6 oz buffalo sauce (or 8 oz barbecue)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil the chicken. Cut up in small bite size pieces and toss in buffalo sauce.

2. Place the pizza stone in the oven. Preheat oven to 450.

3. Put the steel blade in the food processor. Add 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, and the yeast. Zap for a second, then add the hot water down the tube while the machine is running. Stop the machine, add the other 2 cups of flour, the salt and the oil. Zap for 15 to 20 seconds or so, until the dough comes together in a ball. Dump this into a olive oil greases bowl and cover with a wet towel and let rise in a warm spot for 30 mins. Your dough is ready! (So easy!)

4. Half the dough in two and roll them out. Spread the sauce evenly over the pizza dough. Add 2 oz of cheese, 1/2 the chicken and the buffalo drippings, 1/2 of your chives and another 2oz of cheese and bake for 10min or until the crust is golden. Repeat with the the remaining dough.

Stuffed Chicken

2 large boneless skinless chicken breast
chopped garlic
4 tbs Boursin cheese

4 slices of bacon

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place 2 chicken breast halves in large freezer-weight resealable plastic bag. Pound chicken with meat mallet or side of heavy can until chicken is 1/4 inch thick. Place chicken, top-sides down, on cutting board; spread the cheese and garlic evenly. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Starting at one of the narrow ends, tightly roll up chicken. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish. Wrap in two slices of bacon each. Drizzle with olive oil.

2. Bake for 45 min. Serve with couscous.

Light and Easy Meatball Soup

INGREDIENTS

For the meatballs:
3/4 lb lean ground beef

2 tbsp rice

1 egg

3 tbsp curly parsley

For the soup:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped

7 cups of water

1/2 can chopped tomatoes

4 small chicken stock cubes

4 tbsp rice

Juice of 2 lemons

1. Place meat, rice, egg and parsley it in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything together, kneading the mixture against the side of the bowl until you can feel the consistency become smooth and almost dough-like.

2. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Take a small amount of the meat mixture, about the size of a hazelnut, and roll it into a ball between your hands. Put it on the baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the mixture, then set aside. It is handy to have a bowl of warm water beside you; dip your hands in every few minutes to stop the meatballs sticking to your palms.

3. For the soup: in a tall pan, heat the olive oil over a low heat. Add the onion and carrot and fry gently, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes. Pour in the water, increase the heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock cubes, and rice and simmer for another 15 minutes.

4. Gently add the meatballs to the soup, reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pan and continue cooking for 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.