easy cheesy bun-pizzas

If you read some previous posts you might have noticed that sometimes I make a big batch of food and freeze, like for instance these meatballs.
So yesterday I needed some quick dinner for my baby. I could of course just boil some of these meatballs with some veggies or potato mash.
But I decided to make something new. I baked yummy and quick bun-pizzas, which my daughter definitely loved and was eating with pleasure.

It is very easy to make those and you can as well enjoy a couple of them along with your baby.
I would suggest to give these pizzas to babies 11-12 months and older but it all depends how well your baby chews food as I don't think you can blend it into puree.
Try them out.

Ingredients:

1 burger bun, cut lengthwise
2 tbsp pureed tomatoes (you can use tomato paste/sauce, but then omit oregano and salt)
a pinch of oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 my baby yummy meatballs
30-35g grated cheese like mozzarella or Hajdu.

Preparation:

• Cook the meatballs in boiling water until soft.
• Preheat the oven to 220C.
• Place buns cut side up on a baking tray. If using purred tomatoes, mix oregano and salt in. Spread half of tomatoes puree/tomato sauce on each bun. Crumble one meatball per bun and top generously with grated cheese.
• Put in the oven and cook for 5-10 minutes until bun is slightly crispy and cheese melted and is golden.
• Take out and let it cool before serving to your darling.

If you don't like meatballs or prefer a different flavor. Try some roasted shredded chicken instead, but just keep in mind to cover well with cheese not to let chicken dry.

hair clip holder

I had soo many ideas and projects that I have been thinking to start and finish (the most important part).

Once I saw a cute hair clip hold while looking through some picture search. It was a pot with a flower and all clips were on the stem. I liked the ideas and since the collection of my daughter's hair clips is growing and i need to keep them organized and in one place I decided to make one.

Finally this morning it was completed!!!
It was my first attempt so there are still some things to work on and make prettier but it looks very cute I think.

Here it is with all the clips. Now I don't need to run around the house with crazy eyes looking for the right clip and thinking of any possible place my daughter (or me) could have dropped it the day before.

Aishu's party outfit

Hi there again.

As promised my next project which was made for my daughter. The idea to make a tutu was in my mind for quite some time already. You know how they look on little girls. So now I got an occasion. Besides I had a new turtle neck for my daughter which I intended to decorate with some flower applique.
That's what I got.
I decided to make it one color wear which is really fasionable this season.
I crocheted the flower and decorated it with some pearls. Then used some ribbons to created some kinds of leaves and petals.

Good old felt (it's yellow as I didn't have more neutral color on hand and didn't have time to go and buy it. Besides this yellow was thinner than other rolls)... so it helped me to hold everything in its place and pins were handy for putting the finished flower on the top. I preferred pins as this way I don't need to worry about hand wash the whole outfit. Just remove the flower and wash as normal then put it back on. easy peasy!!!

Once I was surfing through the net in search of some stuff and came across this cute no sew tutu which I definitely had to make. Now I got an excuse to waste some time and effort. he-he-he.

I am not going to post the tutorial 'coz if you just google "no sew tutu tutorial" you will get thousands if not more results. However, I have to give credit to the following ladies whose posts were very handy and so self-explanatory:

Mandy has her tutorial with an elastic. She featured a dress there that can be handy for those who need a longer outfit.
Madame Souffle has a lovely tutorial with a ribbon as a base. I loved the color. She also included the general guidelines for waist size according to the age. I found it quite helpful.
And last but not at all the least Serenity and her mommy created beautiful tutorial on making a no sew tutu. They also posted some really cute and helpful ideas on how to cut tulle for a tutu with no fuss as well as how to satin wrap a tutu.
BIG BIG BIG THANK YOU to these ladies for their wonderful work and eagerness to share with us.

Well once the top and the skirt were done I had to make something for my baby's hair. So this cute hair clip was created. It looks so nice on her. My little lady.

I was in a hurry so couldn't take a picture of the whole outfit before we left for the party. So it's coming a bit later.

Let me know what you think.
Hope to hear your opinion.
ses ya...

cute hair clips for my nieces and a baby hat

Since my daughter was born I was so into making little accessories and other stuff as well as crocheting things for her and other babies.

Here are some clips I made for two of my nieces and a baby hat. My husband's aunt was going to visit them and she asked me to crochet a little hat for her grandson.

The pattern I used is of an elf hat I also made one before for my lovely daughter and she loves it though it is small for her right now. Maybe it's time to make another one. ahem

I made some changes though. I let the tail be a bit shorter but then the hat got a lovely knot which looks so cute on baby.

When I finished it I thought it would be only fair if I make some sweet clips for my nieces.

I experimented with some feathers as well as ribbons and crochet. I also like the colors.

They have been recently sent to the girls, I still haven't got any feedback but I hope they liked them.

So done with this ideas. Off to my next project for my lovely daughter party outfit.

That's all for now...

chicky chicken meatballs

When it comes to giving meat to babies different babies have different opinions.
I make beef and chicken meatballs for my baby. She loves them. However, I came up with this chicken and turkey meatball for those who hesitate to give beef for their babies or in my case just for a change.
They also are quite healthy as turkey is lean and some veggies are added in the recipe.
Sorry I just realized haven't taken  any pictures. Maybe I'll add them later.

I would say these meatballs are appropriate for babies 10-11 months and older.

You will need:

500g turkey breast
500g chicken breast
1 medium carrot, cut into medium chunks
3 small onions
1 capsicum, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Allright, it is very difficult to find pure chicken or turkey mince here so I mince it myself. While putting turkey and chicken through the mincer I also add carrot, onions and capsicum. This way I make sure everything is the same size, chopped and incorporated.
Once done with it add bread crumbs, salt ans pepper. Mix everything thoroughly. Form meatballs. Cook immediately or freeze for further use.

Bon appetit!

snack sandwich ideas

ohhh since my daughter got sick I could hardly find any time to even do basic work around the house, Now she is absolutely fine THANK GOD!!!
I got so many ideas and recipes that I have no clue how to post them all now.
Anyway my baby's breakfast usually consists of some juice or water and some kind of porridge. Sometimes scrambled or boiled egg. Usual stuff.
But what about the snack?

Sometimes my husband calls her little beggar as whenever she sees us eating or snacking she is right away next to you, looking with those big cute eyes and saying yum yum? (that means I want to eat).
I tried giving her sandwich that I made specially for her but she didn't even finish one piece. So the idea of this kind of snack was put off for .... well at least a couple of months.
One day I was in a hurry for a meeting with my friends and couldn't feed my baby with porridge while driving. So I made little sandwiches again hoping that maybe she would somehow eat at least one. She ate them all!!!
So now I make sandwiches, experimenting with filling and bread. I usually use brown bread with crust removed, multi-grain bread slices (I don't remove the crust of this bread as it is quite soft) or brown pita bread. If bread slices are thick I remove the crust and then flatten them with a rolling pin.

Here are some of the fillings I make:

• soft cheese and honey (appropriate for babies 1 year or older)

2-3 tbsp homemade soft cheese mixed with 1 tsp honey

• soft cheese and berry compote (8 month)

place a handful of organic berry mix in a small pot with 1/2 tsp of brown sugar, bring to simmer and cook for a couple of minutes or until the mixture resembles thin jam. Mix with a couple of tbsps of soft cheese (greek yogurt). I used brown pita bread for this snack.

• soft cheese and orange marmalade (8-9 months)

I use organic orange marmalade, just enough to spread very thinly on one piece of bread and spread 2-3 tbsps of soft cheese on the other. Put together the pieces and cut into smaller sandwiches.

• yogurt and tomato/peach/cucmber (10-11 months)

 spread thin layer of yogurt on both pieces of bread, place a few thin slices of tomato/peach/cucumber
put pieces together and cut into bite sizes.

As you might already have noticed I use soft cheese or greek yogurt, I don't use mayo or ketchup as they are quite strong and bold in flavor. If I make sandwiches with veggies I might add just a sprinkle of sea salt to complement the flavor.
Hope it will be helpful and you are most welcome to share your ideas or recipes.

Have a lovely day...

take care of you and your family.

baby's fishy pie

As babies grow their need for variety of food and vitamins grow as well. Texture and taste change, it is becoming to look more and more like adult food. Nevertheless babies still need much less salt, sugar, fried things and other not very healthy food options. Their teeth grow as well and that means food should be encouraging babies to chew.
By the first year of your baby's life most of the food has already been introduced as well as meat, chicken and fish. Fish is a great source of protein as it contains all 9 amino acids. Fish is also rich in omega 3 and phosphrus.
I noticed that babies tend to like white fish more than any other kind. I remember cooking some really yummy salmon dishes for my baby and she would just turn them down, spit it out and try to push it away. I tired cooking white fish like cream dowry (my favorite) and voila, my daughter ate it all without second thought. White fish also has less "fishy" smell and more neutral taste. I believe it is softer than other fish thus it is easier for babies to chew it.
Fry it, boil, steam or bake - fish makes an excellent dish that not only taste good but is also good for your baby as well as for you.
When choosing fish go for fresh. If buying whole fish check the gills they have to be bright red not dark and the eyes of fish should be clear. Fresh fish doesn't have strong smell, on contrary it should smell fresh and mild. If buying a fillet - white fish should be slightly pink in the middle.

Here is the recipe of fish pie I put together. It is quite simple but my daughter liked it and ate it all. I made only one generous portion in a big (a bit more than a cup) ramekin and baked it. One might say what a waste of oven energy only for one ramekin. Well you can make something along, like some bread or dinner for yourself and the rest of the family. It was actually an experiment so I didn't want to cook a lot in case it didn't come out nice and tasty.

For the recipe you will need:
piece of fish, the size of the bottom of the ramekin you are using. (the piece I used was square with approximately 3 inch sides)
a small pinch of salt and pepper
1/4 tsp dried dill
a squeeze of lemon juice
generous tbsp frozen petits pois/ green peas
enough cream to cover fish - 1/4 to 1/3 cup (you can substitute part of the cream with milk if you wish)
2-3 little cubes of butter
3 medium size broccoli floret, cut into small pieces
1/2 small onion, quartered
1/4 medium potato, cut into cubes
1/4 cup butternut squash cubes
 handful of grated cheese (I used kashkaval cheese made from cow's milk)

ufff I love cheese

Preparation:

• Place the potato and butternut squash in a small pot, add enough water to cover, add a bit of salt. Bring to boil and simmer until soft and cooked through. Remove from the heat and mash.
• Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180C. Oil the ramekin, place the fish season with salt, pepper and dill, a squeeze of lemon juice. Add the cream to cover fish, place butter and the peas on top. Cover with tin foil and put in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cream mixture is bubbly.
• In the meantime steam broccoli and onion for about 10 minutes or until soft enough to mash. Mash lightly. (you can actually steam them over boiling butternut and potatoes. Just put the pieces in a small colander or a sieve and place over the pot. The boiling water should steam them soft.)
• Take the ramekin out of the oven, keep in mind it is very hot. Carefully cover it with broccoli-onion mash and then with potato and butternut squash. Generously cover with cheese and return to the oven for a few more minutes until the top is melted and golden in color.

• Once it is ready, let it cool for quite some time and serve with your baby's favorite vegetables cut into bite size pieces.

My daughter loves munching some cucumber in between the bites of the main dish.

Here is my waiting for food happy baby.

Try this delicious dish and let me know what you think.

DIY homemade soft cheese

hi there,
ufff had no internet connection for 3 days and already wanna write so much, so will try to catch up with all those thoughts and ideas in my mind.
You already perhaps know that dairy products are very important part of your baby's diet. Try to give them variety of dairy products, such as milk, yogurt (flavored or plain), different smoothies or milk porridge or soft cheese. One of the stored here sells really good soft cheese which is great for babies, they are sold in small containers which are also perfect for one portion meal. However, with all these good things it is still quite expensive. I used to make soft cheese like this at home and still remember my mom making such things so I thought if I could do it before why not starting it again for my baby to enjoy natural homemade cheese. Besides you can use it to create many other yummy dishes both for your baby and you.

I started giving whole dairy products for my baby when she was around 9 months.

It is really easy to make soft cheese at home and requires only 4 things:

1. plain fresh full creme yogurt (use whole dairy products for your baby only. However, if you make cheese for yourself low fat yogurt will do just fine)
2. cheesecloth (if you can't find cheese cloth, any cloth which looks like it will do, as long as it is made of natural material like linen or muslin, but it shouldn't to thick or dyed, choose white or natural off white color) the size of the cloth I usually use is about 40/45 cm by 70 cm, but it totally depends on your needs and the amount of cheese you plan to make.
3. a string to hang the cloth with yogurt
4. time  (at least overnight)

So, line the sieve with the cloth you are using, if the weave is too loose I make two or three layers.

I do the whole making process in the sink, just a quick reminder. ;)

Put yogurt into the cloth, cover loosely with the edges of cloth and let it drain a bit (wait for about an hour or so).

This way you won't have so much liquid when you finally hang it to drain thus won't have splashes or drops around. To make this process faster my mom recommends to heat yogurt slightly in a pot before placing it in cloth. It actually separates liquid from the cheese mass and should be easier and faster. If you use this method don't strain warm yogurt with the liquid through the cloth, take out only the cheese mass that you get and keep whey away. In the end of the day this is what we are trying to do.
This is some whey after an hour of straining

When yogurt is strained a bit, mix it with a spoon, tie the ends of cloth, wrap the string around and tie so that you have a loop for hanging.

I have cupboard right above the sink so I use the nob to hang cheese-to-be :) ( don't know if I can actually say that)

Leave it overnight or for at least 8-10 hours. When you think it is done open and check the consistency. If that is what you want, put your cheese in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for about 10 days. (I don't know how long it will stay as I never had it longer than a week).

And here it is fresh yummy homemade cheese at a cost of yogurt.

To be noted that 1 kg of yogurt makes about 370 g of soft cheese, but it all depends on how much liquid you actually want to leave in your cheese.

I would recommend not to make it too thick for your baby as they try to swallow the whole thing at once and may start choking.

You can serve just like that or with some berry sauce or honey, make some delicious cheesecake or berry fruit fool. (recipes to come soon, check back later).

Please feel free to tell me what you think or what you got.

But for now that's all...

take care there.

my baby's strawpeary smoothie

Hi there,
here I am again posting another smoothie for my baby. As you can see from the title the main ingredients are strawberries and pears. It is thick and grainy due to pears but my baby still enjoyed it a lot.
This smoothies can be given to your baby after 8 months, however, if you are confident about the ingredients try to give a teaspoon at a time to your baby a bit earlier but not earlier than 6 months.
It yielded about two portions (I mean two 300ml cups), so I gave half to my little one and the rest was in the fridge waiting for its turn.

For this smoothie you will need:

• 3 soft ripe pears, quartered and seeds removed
• 3 big or 5 small strawberries, halved
• 300 ml apple juice, go for the one with no sugar.

Preparation:

Blend pears and strawberries to smooth consistency, I mixed it for quite long as wanted to make it a bit smoother and maybe get rid of some grainy texture of pears.

Once the desired consistency is reached add the apple juice, give a good stir and voila your baby's strawpeary smoothie is done and ready to try.

Enjoy and let me know how it went.

That's all for now...

take care there.

peachy berry smoothie

Hi there,
here is another smoothies that I made for my baby. This time I diluted it with water with the ratio 2:1 (2 parts of juice and 1 part of water).

It is very difficult to find organic berries in the area I live so I got  pack of frozen organic berries for my baby and used them in this drink. I am fully aware that these kinds of berries lost some of their goodness while frozen. Nevertheless they're still good and yummy in this smoothie.
All these ingredients separately can be given from 6 months onward, so I believe it is quite safe to give this smoothie to your little one if they are around 8-9 months. (I would still wait a bit before giving complex thick mixes like this one).
For this yumminess you will need:

• 1 and 1/2 peaches (mine were quite small, so I believe 1 big is enough), although the skin is delicate I still remove it (maybe I shouldn't next time it also has some good nutrients). Cut peaches into quarters and then each piece in halves across.
• about 2 tbsp organic berry mix (to be more precise I got 4 raspberries, 3 blackberries, 4 red currants and 3 black currants)
• segments of 2 oranges

Preparation:

Let the berries thaw in a small sieve, then press them through it to extract the juice. Remember to put some bowl under the sieve not to end up with the juice in the sink or a table top. Set aside.

In a blender process peaches and orange segments to smooth consistency. Add berry juice and stir until well mixed.

As I already mentioned I diluted it with some water otherwise you can serve it as it is.

I gave it to my baby in a cup and kept the rest in the fridge (if there is any left) for her to finish it later. She was walking holding her cup and sipping it from times to times. She definitely liked it.

That's all for now...

take care there.

sunny citrus healthy smoothie

It's been quite a few days I haven't posted anything, My husband decided to change the router and of course didn't remember for his account password so instead of improving the connection, we ended up with no internet for several days.
Anyways hi there. Last week I was shopping in the grocery store and saw some really cute pouches with some baby smoothies. And of course I thought why not making something like that but fresher at home. So I just got some fruit and berries and started mixing and matching.
Fruit smoothies and juices are great for babies and kids. They love drinking juices, the latter are packed with vitamins and nutrients, and at the same time it's a great way to give this 5-a-day portion to your little ones. They don't even have to chew it.
My daughter will not eat pears or pineapples just like that, I guess she just thinks they are too grainy and sour but once in smoothie she can sip it with her meals or after a walk, whenever she wants. You can hide veggies or fruit your baby doesn't like.
You can start giving simple one or two ingredients juices to your baby from 6 months. I started with small portions of diluted in water juice. I guess by the age of 8-9 months I was giving my little one simple juices as well as mixed juices which were made specially for babies. Later smoothies joined our diet.
This recipe contains 3 ingredients.
You'll need:

• segments of 3 oranges ( once I cut out all the segments I squeeze the rest of pulp not to waste juice)
• 6 medium ripe strawberries, cut in halves (make sure you wash them thoroughly)
• about 2 tbsps carrot juice (I finely grated one medium carrot and squeezed the juice out of the pulp - I added the pulp to my baby turkey soup later)

Preparation:
Put the orange segments and strawberries in blender and process to a smooth consistency. Once it's done, add carrot juice, give  a stir and voila your simple smoothies is ready.

Put in a sippy cup and give it to your baby or dilute with some water first if you'd like. I discovered that non-spil cup that my baby usually has gets clogged very fast. So I removed the rubber membrane from the straw to make it easy to drink. If you can;t do it I advise to get a simple cup with medium size holes otherwise, try to either make a smoothie less thick or strain it to remove the pulp (I never tries it myself and don't know if it will work though).

TIP:
When choosing strawberries as well as most of other berries or some fruit like peaches, nectarines or pears, make sure they don't have dark spots and are fragrant. Try not to press on soft fruit as you can easily damage them causing bruising to begin a while later.

That's all for now...
take care there.

these precious moments

Hi there,

for those whose chilrenare growing so fast and all the rest, just wanted to remind you that use every single chance to save those precious moments as they pass by so quickly. Who knows maybe it will never happen again the way it just did.

Last evening I was singing a song to my daughter right before herbedtimeand suddenly she started laughing sooo hard that she even got hick ups. I showed it to my husband and he asked me to make a video but it was too late and I didn't want to. I just replied she would doit the next day again and we would make a video. He was insisting andfinally my dd was starring in one more video laughing like crazy.

Well the next day came and I thought I would make another clip as previously I forgot somewords and messed up the song and to my surprise and dismay while Iwas singingexactlythe same song in the same way my baby didn't even smile. She looked at me as if I've gone crazy.And then I remembered my husband's words: " Tomorrow she childwill hange her mind and will not do it."

So if your baby or babies do something extraordinary and funny don't wait for a better setting, catch these moments and document them right here and now, later they DO change their little minds. 

see ya later,

take care there..

hidden vegetables mince meat

Hi there. Ready for another recipe???
Originally this one is from Annabel Karmel's book, however I made some changes in my version.
This meat sauce turned out to be so good that I would it eat myself with some pasta. Despite the fact it is beef dish, the sauce is loaded with goodness of vegetables and the good part is that if your baby is a fussy eater and doesn't like veggies, he/she won't feel them there so easily.
(12 months +) - but you can blend it in very smooth paste and give to your baby starting from 9 months.

Hidden vegetables mince meat.

You'll need:

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 stick celery, cubed

1/2 big or 1 medium size floret of cauliflower, cut into smaller pieces

1 small carrot, cut into small cubes

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/3 apple, chopped

1 large tomato, skin and seeds removed (I don't bother to remove all the seeds just the ones I see when I cut it into quarters)

200 - 250 g mince meat

3 tbsp tomato puree

150 ml water

salt and pepper to taste

The list might scare you as it's quite long but believe me it is not really a time-consuming recipe and simple to make.

Preparation:

Heat small amount of oil in a pan, add first 6 ingredients and saute until quite soft but not mushy. I took me about 15 minutes I believe. In the mean time I put the tomato in a blender and made puree out of it. Once the vegetables are ready, add them to the tomato puree (be careful the mixture is hot) and process until smooth or almost smooth. Set it aside for now.

Fry the mince meat in a pan with a little bit of oil (if meat has some fat in it I don't use any oil at all). Mash the mince while frying to achieve the desired consistency. Cook meat until brown. If you want it to be very smooth without any lumps you can use the blender once the meat is cooked through.

I cooked the meat in a pot. This way when I mixed all the ingredients it was easier to stir. So once the beef is cooked add the tomato and veggie sauce, tomato puree and water into it. Mix well, bring to boil, lower the heat to minimum and simmer for 45-60 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season  to taste.

And voila! It is ready. I got five 5oz portions.

As you can see in the picture this time I served it with some mashed potatoes. Last time I cooked a small handful of vermicelli and mixed it into the sauce. My daughter loved it.

Let me know what you think.

That's all for now...

take care there.

my baby yummy meatballs

Here we are again,
I posted some recipes earlier using these yummy meatballs however, I haven't shared the recipes of meatballs itself yet.
I actually made these meatballs in a different way before but then well I forgot the recipe and created a new one which came out even better. You can steam them for about 30 minutes and serve with some steamed veggies or potatoes, rice or other grains. You can boil a couple of them with some vegetables and blend to the desired consistency or maybe serve with some simple white cheesy sauce your baby likes.
I started giving these meatballs for my baby after she was 1 but I saw some recipes with meat for little ones who are 9 months old.
So here is the recipe.
You'll need:

• 500 g mince turkey breast (you can substitute with chicken breast, Turkey is considered to be the leanest meat and is good for you and your baby, but if you don't like the taste feel free to use chicken.)
• about 300 g mince beef (I wash the meat through the sieve  - make sure it is a separate sieve for meat only or if not then wash it very very very well after use maybe even a couple of times and with boiling water. I noticed that when I wash meat and get rid of the rest of blood that is left there, meat gets better taste and is more tender somehow and of course less waste and toxins that blood contain)
• 1 big onion, chopped
• 2,5 handfuls cooked red kidney beans
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Making these meatballs is fast and easy, the only thing that takes time is cooking kidney beans. Soak them over night, change water while soaking if possible. After soaking, put the beans in a pot, cover them with fresh water, put on high heat and bring to boil. When the water starts boiling, change it again, bring to boil and then simmer for about 60-80 minutes. I add the salt in the end about 10 minutes before taking off the heat.

When the beans are cooled I blend them into paste. Since the beans usually turn out to be quite salty I don't add much salt in the meatball mix.

In large bowl mix together turkey, beef, onion, kidney bean paste. add salt and pepper to taste.

Make balls of the size of a mini cupcake, about 2 inches in size. I got 36 meatballs.

I place them on the lined baking sheet, cover loosely with tin foil and freeze. Once frozen I transfer in a zip lock bag, squeeze the air as much as possible and keep up to 1 month. (I usually finish them earlier).

TIP:

It's difficult to get mince turkey in shops, so I make it myself. Once I mince all the turkey I put onions that way I clean up the mincer from meat as well as mincing onions without having to irritate my eyes. :)

Try these meatballs and let me know what you think.

That's all for now...

take care there.

berrylicious sauce

Hi there,
I usually make some porridge for my little precious one for breakfast but oats in milk are a bit boring if you eat them just like this.
So I made this easy berry sauce you can add to porridge or some other dishes.
(6 months onward)

You will need:

4-5 strawberries
half a peach, skin off
3-4 orange segments

Put everything in a mixing cup and blend until smooth. If your strawberries are not sweet you might end up with a bit too tart taste in that case I would recommend to add a squeeze of maple syrup. (you can add honey for children of 1 year or older)
Enjoy and let me know what you think.

That's all for now...
take care there.