Courtesy of: Mommies in Turid’s Tuesday noon class 2011-2012
1. Winter Minestrone (Shannon says: Freeze it or serves many)
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 40 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• 2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
• 1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper
Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.) Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
2. One Pot Lasagna (Shannon says: Delish!)
Courtesy of Tyler Florence’s baby cookbook: Start Fresh
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound lean ground grass-fed beef 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano 4 baby carrots, scrubbed 1 small yellow onion, cut into wedges 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced 1 cup organic chicken stock 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 3 ounces fresh spinach leaves, stems removed and coarsely chopped 4 lasagna noodles, broken into 1/2-inch pieces 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spatula, until the meat has browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic in a food processor and chop until coarsely ground but not completely smooth.
When the meat is browned, pour off any accumulated fat. Add the tomato mixture, stock, ricotta, and spinach and combine thoroughly. Bury the lasagna noodles in the sauce, and sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over all.
Bake the lasagna uncovered until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let stand uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
MAKES 4 TO 6 ADULT SERVINGS OR 8 KID SERVINGS
3. Florentine Meatballs - spinach and turkey (Shannon says: Cruz adores these!)
Courtesy of Rachel Ray
INGREDIENTS
• 1 box frozen spinach (10 ounces), defrosted in the microwave
• 1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast (1 package)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups milk, divided
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (3 handfuls)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (2 palmfuls)
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 sack shredded provolone or blend of Italian cheeses (10 ounces), available on the dairy aisle at the grocery store
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (eyeball it)
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped, for garnish
Serves 4
PREPARATION
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
Wring the defrosted spinach dry in a clean kitchen towel. Place the turkey in a bowl and make a well in the middle of it. Add the spinach, all but 3 tablespoons of the onion, the garlic, egg, about 1/4 cup of the milk, the breadcrumbs, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper. Mix well. Form into 12 large balls and drizzle with EVOO. Arrange on a nonstick cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
While the meatballs are in the oven, heat a small saucepot over medium heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO and 2 tablespoons butter. Melt the butter, then add the remaining finely chopped onion. Cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 cup stock. Bring the liquid up to a boil, then stir in the shredded provolone or blended Italian cheeses. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg and turn the heat to lowest setting.
Place three meatballs on dinner plates, top with sauce and garnish with parsley.
4. Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake (Dani says: Riley LOVES this casserole so much. Her Daddy and I love it as well. Perfect for the whole family!)
• 8 oz uncooked rigatoni
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 c chopped onion
• 1 (10 oz) pack frozen spinach, thawed
• 3 c cubed, cooked chicken breasts
• 1 (14 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (8 oz) container Philadelphia chive & onion cream cheese
• ½ t salt, ½ t pepper
• 1½ c shredded mozzarella cheese
Prepare rigatoni according to pkg directions. Spread oil on bottom of 11×17 in baking dish; add onion in a single layer. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or just until tender. Transfer onion to large bowl, set aside.
Drain chopped spinach well, pressing between paper towels. Stir in rigatoni, spinach, chicken, & next 4 ingredients into onion in bowl. Spoon mixture into dish & sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes; uncover & bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.
5. Potato and Broccoli Mash (Ashun says: Super yummy, Mason loves it)
Ingredients:
- 6 to 8 small potatoes
- broccoli
- butter (optional)
- milk
- shredded cheddar cheese
Peel the potatoes then boil till tender (very tender). When potatoes are almost finished boiling, steam the broccoli. Place potatoes in a large bowl with the steamed broccoli and cheddar cheese. With a hand masher mash the potato mixture, slowly add milk and butter (if desired) until it reaches your desired consistency. If the cheese does not melt all the way through place the mixture in the microwave for a minute or so.
6. NEW Mac and Cheese (Ashun says: Another winner. You can use fresh or frozen spinach)
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, if necessary, then bake for 35 to 45 minutes
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 16-ounce or 10-ounce package frozen spinach
1 3/4 cups 1% milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat elbow macaroni or penne
DIRECTIONS
Put a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain and refresh under cold water; press out excess moisture.
Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until melted. Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Cook pasta for 4 minutes, or until not quite tender. (It will continue to cook during baking). Drain and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the spinach on top. Top with the remaining pasta; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Caprese Pasta Salad (Camille says: I like to throw in some asparagus to the boiling water when the pasta is cooking, then add it to the salad with some chicken)
By Catherine Newman
Named after the famous Italian tomato-mozzarella salad, this is a nearly instant, super-fresh recipe that's bursting with the summery flavors of juicy vine-ripened tomatoes and fragrant basil. Use as much of the fresh mozzarella as your budget will allow -- although if you're eating this as a side dish rather than a main course, you could skip the cheese altogether. And feel free to improvise: use halved cherry tomatoes, if that's what you've got, or add a few tablespoons of pesto, if you can't scare up any fresh basil.
Ready In: 20 minutes Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pasta shapes (fusilli, orecchiette, penne)
- 2 pounds tomatoes (around 6 medium) roughly diced
- 1/2-1 pound fresh, water-packed mozzarella, cubed
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press
- 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or half as much table salt)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 packed cup basil leaves, washed, spun dry, and slivered
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
Directions
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it heavily (it should taste like seawater), then add the pasta and cook until just done.
• Meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes and cheese and put them in a very large bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to taste; the mayo will help keep the oil and vinegar from separating.
• Drain the hot pasta and shake it dry (don't rinse it), then add it to the bowl with the cheese and tomatoes and stir with a rubber spatula to combine.
• Add about half the dressing, and stir again, then fold in the basil and pine nuts.
• Now taste the pasta, and add more dressing, if it needs it, and more salt, which it will almost surely need. If you have time, cover it and let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so to let the flavors blend and to let the pasta absorb some of the juice that will come out of the tomatoes (don't refrigerate it, or the pasta may get tough and the tomatoes may get spongy. Taste just before serving and re-season as necessary.
8. Baked Sweet Potato Fries (Camille had no comment. I have a feeling they speak for themselves)
• Olive Oil, for tossing
• 5 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch long slices, then 1/4-wide inch strips, using a crinkle cut knife
• Oil
• 1 tablespoon House Seasoning (recipe follows)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Line a sheet tray with parchment. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat. Sprinkle with House Seasoning and paprika. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Per Serving: Calories: 273; Fat: 9.5g (Saturated Fat: 1g); Protein: 4g; Carbohydrates: 44g; Sugar: 9g; Fiber 7g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 1,670mg
House Seasoning:
• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
For the House Seasoning:
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
9. Cheesy Broccoli Nuggets: (Camille says: taken from homemade-baby-food-recipes.com)
1 c broccoli florets (or you can use a 16 oz pkg of frozen broccoli)
1 c dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 c grated cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella
2 1/2 tbsp water
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
(or substitute the water, oil and powder for a couple eggs to help form the nuggets)
Heat the oven to 375 deg F.
Cook the broccoli, then drain and chop well.
Combine with the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Form the mixture into nugget shapes and place on a greased baking tray.
Bake for 20-25 mins, turning halfway through the cooking time.
10. Banana, Apple and Bran Muffins (Ilana says: Austin’s need to feed himself led to the invention of these hand-held recipes)
Courtesy of Ilana O’Rand
Ingredients:
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. organic oat bran
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 stick unsalted butter
3/4 c. organic, no sugar applesauce
3 organic bananas, 1 mashed (1/2 c.) and 2 sliced up
1/4 c. organic brown sugar
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
2 egg yolks
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 24 mini muffin cups.
With a fork, combine flour, bran, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave for 35 seconds. In a large bowl, combine melted butter, applesauce, mashed banana, sugar, pumpkin and egg yolks. Mix together. Add flour mixture to applesauce mixture until blended. Batter will be lumpy and very moist.
Put batter into muffin cups, filling about 2/3 up. Place sliced bananas on top of each muffin. Bake for 12 min, or until golden brown. Cool in pan or on top of cooling rack for 5 min before opping them out.
Mommy & Daddy will like these too.
11. Veggie Pancakes (Ilana says: very portable for Mommy & Me days or lunch out of the house)
Courtesy of Ilana O’Rand
Ingredients:
1 c. organic broccoli florets
12 organic asparagus spears
1 c. slice organic mushrooms1/4 c. chopped organic onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 c. pumpkin puree
2/3 c. organic whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 egg yolk
1/4 c. whole milk yogurt
1/4 c. shredded cheese (optional)
Directions:
Steam broccoli and asparagus 4-5 min or until tender.
Put broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, onion and garlic in food processor and pulse to chop everything up or just chop by hand. Put all chopped ingredients into large bowl and stil in pumpkin puree (this is for moisture as opposed to oil or some other fat), flour and salt. Add the egg yolk and yogurt and mix thoroughy with big wooden spoon.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat coated with cooking spray. Drop batter into skillet, however big or small you want the pancakes to be. Cook until firm mon bottom, about 2 min. Flip them and sprinkle with little cheese, if you like. Cook remaining sides for another min.
12. Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash, and Pear Casserole (Ilana Says: Huge hit at Thanksgiving and kid-friendly too!)
Courtesy of Ilana O’Rand
6 ½ peeled cubed sweet potato (about 2 lbs)
4 ½ c. peeled cubed butternut squash (about 1 ½ lbs)
3 tbsp reduced calorie stick margarine (I use sweet butter)
2 2/3 c. peeled chopped pear (about 1 lb)½ c. sugar
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
Bake all the sweet potato & squash on cooking sheet - about 25 min @400 degrees.
Melt butter in skillet over med heat. Add pear; sauté 8 min or until tender.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash mixture, pear, sugar and next 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Spoon mixture into an 11x7 in baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Before baking I add ¼ c. chopped pecans and 1tbsp brown sugar on top. Bake, uncovered, @350 degrees for 30 min. Yield 12 servings (1/2 c. servings)
13. Pumpkin Risotto (Ilana says: Austin loved this one so much he had 2 servings. Ah, the Italian in him is coming out.)
Courtesy of The Petit Appetit by Lisa Barnes
Ingredients:
1/2 c. Arborio or short grain rice
1 1/2 c. veggie stock, broth or water
1 tsp unsalted butter
1/2 c. butternut squash puree or canned pumpkin puree (I used pumpkin)
pinch of nutmeg
Makes about 2 c.
In a saucepan over medium- high heat, combine the rice and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to ow, cover and simmer stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft and creamy, about 20 min. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 10 min.
Stir in the butter, squash puree and nutmeg into the rice. Depending on the baby's age and chewing ability you can transfer the risotto to a food processor or blender and process to a coarse or smooth puree. You can also add stock, broth or water to thin the puree to a consistency your baby can handle. Serve lukewarm or at room temp.
Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze individual portions in freezer container, for up to 3 months.
14. Balsamic Turkey Meatloaf (Romina says: Cooks in 20 mins when I put in mini cupcake tin, without the glaze for Jonah. He loves them! Don’t get scared away by all of the ingredients listed. Use what you have around the house – the meat is a great disguise for the veggies! I also don’t use the red pepper flakes at all, and for the glaze I throw in about 1 Tb spoon or more of brown sugar and that makes it magical.)
Courtesy: Bobby Flay
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small zucchini, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)
• 1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell peppers, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.
Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
15. Italian Goulash (Stephanie’s BIG HIT at lunch!)
Courtesy: Stephanie Klein
Ingredients:
1 pkg trader joes chicken sausage uncooked
1 cup mushrooms
4 cups vegetable stock
1 pound pasta (I used one from Bristol farms)
1 pound of cooked meatballs, thawed if from frozen
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow pepper
1 cup onion
3 T each, parsley & oregano
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 jar Classico 4 cheese pasta sauce
Directions:
Boil sausages for 10 minutes in vegetable stock, add pasta, and boil 9 minutes longer. Drain. Use same pan and heat olive oil over medium high heat, sautéed onion, mushrooms, herbs, & bell pepper and garlic till soft. Add half of the jar of sauce and stir. Cut sausages into bite size pieces. Add meatballs, sausage and pasta to pan, add remaining sauce. Keep warm on stove or in crock pot.
16. Baby Muffins
Courtesy: Stephanie Klein
Ingredients:
1 cup baby oatmeal
¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ripe banana’s mashed
1 cup grated carrots
½ c. applesauce
3 tablespoons oil
2 eggs
½ cup chia seeds (find at whole foods)
Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients; add banana, carrots, applesauce, oil, eggs, and seeds. Mix until blended. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes depending on the size of your muffins.
17. Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie (Stacey says its super yummy & good clean eating)
Courtesy: Stacey Derr
Ingredients:-Olive oil or cooking spray-1 lb sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped)-1/2 lb red skin potatoes, scrubbed well and chopped-1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed (i used green and it was fine)-3 crowns broccoli, florets only (4-5 cups)-1 cup low-fat cottage cheese-1 egg, lightly beaten-1 tsp extra virgin olive oil-1 large yellow onion, chopped-2 large carrots, chopped- 6 stalks celery, chopped-1/4 tsp salt- 1tsp dried thyme- 1 tsp dried sage- fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions: One: Preheat oven to 400. Coat an 8x8 or 1x7 baking dish with cooking spray or evoo and set aside.
Two: Fill 2 large pots halfway with water and brig to a boil. Add sweet potatoes and redskin to 1 pot. Cover and reduce heat to medium, -high. Add lentils to remaining pot and reduce heat to meduim-high, Let both pots simmer for 10 minutes.
Three: Add broccoli to lentil pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile drain potatoes, return to pot and add cottage cheese. Stir in egg and use a potato masher to mash until smooth.
Four: In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium heat for 1 minute, Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally Stir un satm thyme and sage and cook for 2 minutes. remove from heat and str in lentil mixture. Season with pepper. Spoon mixture in to baking dish, spreading evenly over bottom. Drop large spoonfuls of potato mixture over top and smooth with back of spoon bake fore 40 minutes, until edges of crust begin to turn light brown.
Other
Grocery Store Faves: Mason loves the Dr. Praegers veggie burgers. You can find them at Ralphs, Vons and Whole Foods.
1. Winter Minestrone (Shannon says: Freeze it or serves many)
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 40 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• 2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
• 1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper
Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.) Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
2. One Pot Lasagna (Shannon says: Delish!)
Courtesy of Tyler Florence’s baby cookbook: Start Fresh
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound lean ground grass-fed beef 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano 4 baby carrots, scrubbed 1 small yellow onion, cut into wedges 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced 1 cup organic chicken stock 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 3 ounces fresh spinach leaves, stems removed and coarsely chopped 4 lasagna noodles, broken into 1/2-inch pieces 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spatula, until the meat has browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic in a food processor and chop until coarsely ground but not completely smooth.
When the meat is browned, pour off any accumulated fat. Add the tomato mixture, stock, ricotta, and spinach and combine thoroughly. Bury the lasagna noodles in the sauce, and sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over all.
Bake the lasagna uncovered until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let stand uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
MAKES 4 TO 6 ADULT SERVINGS OR 8 KID SERVINGS
3. Florentine Meatballs - spinach and turkey (Shannon says: Cruz adores these!)
Courtesy of Rachel Ray
INGREDIENTS
• 1 box frozen spinach (10 ounces), defrosted in the microwave
• 1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast (1 package)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups milk, divided
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (3 handfuls)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (2 palmfuls)
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 sack shredded provolone or blend of Italian cheeses (10 ounces), available on the dairy aisle at the grocery store
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (eyeball it)
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped, for garnish
Serves 4
PREPARATION
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
Wring the defrosted spinach dry in a clean kitchen towel. Place the turkey in a bowl and make a well in the middle of it. Add the spinach, all but 3 tablespoons of the onion, the garlic, egg, about 1/4 cup of the milk, the breadcrumbs, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper. Mix well. Form into 12 large balls and drizzle with EVOO. Arrange on a nonstick cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
While the meatballs are in the oven, heat a small saucepot over medium heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO and 2 tablespoons butter. Melt the butter, then add the remaining finely chopped onion. Cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 cup stock. Bring the liquid up to a boil, then stir in the shredded provolone or blended Italian cheeses. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg and turn the heat to lowest setting.
Place three meatballs on dinner plates, top with sauce and garnish with parsley.
4. Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake (Dani says: Riley LOVES this casserole so much. Her Daddy and I love it as well. Perfect for the whole family!)
• 8 oz uncooked rigatoni
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 c chopped onion
• 1 (10 oz) pack frozen spinach, thawed
• 3 c cubed, cooked chicken breasts
• 1 (14 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (8 oz) container Philadelphia chive & onion cream cheese
• ½ t salt, ½ t pepper
• 1½ c shredded mozzarella cheese
Prepare rigatoni according to pkg directions. Spread oil on bottom of 11×17 in baking dish; add onion in a single layer. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or just until tender. Transfer onion to large bowl, set aside.
Drain chopped spinach well, pressing between paper towels. Stir in rigatoni, spinach, chicken, & next 4 ingredients into onion in bowl. Spoon mixture into dish & sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes; uncover & bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.
5. Potato and Broccoli Mash (Ashun says: Super yummy, Mason loves it)
Ingredients:
- 6 to 8 small potatoes
- broccoli
- butter (optional)
- milk
- shredded cheddar cheese
Peel the potatoes then boil till tender (very tender). When potatoes are almost finished boiling, steam the broccoli. Place potatoes in a large bowl with the steamed broccoli and cheddar cheese. With a hand masher mash the potato mixture, slowly add milk and butter (if desired) until it reaches your desired consistency. If the cheese does not melt all the way through place the mixture in the microwave for a minute or so.
6. NEW Mac and Cheese (Ashun says: Another winner. You can use fresh or frozen spinach)
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, if necessary, then bake for 35 to 45 minutes
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 16-ounce or 10-ounce package frozen spinach
1 3/4 cups 1% milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat elbow macaroni or penne
DIRECTIONS
Put a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain and refresh under cold water; press out excess moisture.
Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until melted. Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Cook pasta for 4 minutes, or until not quite tender. (It will continue to cook during baking). Drain and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the spinach on top. Top with the remaining pasta; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Caprese Pasta Salad (Camille says: I like to throw in some asparagus to the boiling water when the pasta is cooking, then add it to the salad with some chicken)
By Catherine Newman
Named after the famous Italian tomato-mozzarella salad, this is a nearly instant, super-fresh recipe that's bursting with the summery flavors of juicy vine-ripened tomatoes and fragrant basil. Use as much of the fresh mozzarella as your budget will allow -- although if you're eating this as a side dish rather than a main course, you could skip the cheese altogether. And feel free to improvise: use halved cherry tomatoes, if that's what you've got, or add a few tablespoons of pesto, if you can't scare up any fresh basil.
Ready In: 20 minutes Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pasta shapes (fusilli, orecchiette, penne)
- 2 pounds tomatoes (around 6 medium) roughly diced
- 1/2-1 pound fresh, water-packed mozzarella, cubed
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press
- 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or half as much table salt)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 packed cup basil leaves, washed, spun dry, and slivered
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
Directions
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it heavily (it should taste like seawater), then add the pasta and cook until just done.
• Meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes and cheese and put them in a very large bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to taste; the mayo will help keep the oil and vinegar from separating.
• Drain the hot pasta and shake it dry (don't rinse it), then add it to the bowl with the cheese and tomatoes and stir with a rubber spatula to combine.
• Add about half the dressing, and stir again, then fold in the basil and pine nuts.
• Now taste the pasta, and add more dressing, if it needs it, and more salt, which it will almost surely need. If you have time, cover it and let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so to let the flavors blend and to let the pasta absorb some of the juice that will come out of the tomatoes (don't refrigerate it, or the pasta may get tough and the tomatoes may get spongy. Taste just before serving and re-season as necessary.
8. Baked Sweet Potato Fries (Camille had no comment. I have a feeling they speak for themselves)
• Olive Oil, for tossing
• 5 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch long slices, then 1/4-wide inch strips, using a crinkle cut knife
• Oil
• 1 tablespoon House Seasoning (recipe follows)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Line a sheet tray with parchment. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat. Sprinkle with House Seasoning and paprika. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Per Serving: Calories: 273; Fat: 9.5g (Saturated Fat: 1g); Protein: 4g; Carbohydrates: 44g; Sugar: 9g; Fiber 7g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 1,670mg
House Seasoning:
• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
For the House Seasoning:
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
9. Cheesy Broccoli Nuggets: (Camille says: taken from homemade-baby-food-recipes.com)
1 c broccoli florets (or you can use a 16 oz pkg of frozen broccoli)
1 c dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 c grated cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella
2 1/2 tbsp water
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
(or substitute the water, oil and powder for a couple eggs to help form the nuggets)
Heat the oven to 375 deg F.
Cook the broccoli, then drain and chop well.
Combine with the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Form the mixture into nugget shapes and place on a greased baking tray.
Bake for 20-25 mins, turning halfway through the cooking time.
10. Banana, Apple and Bran Muffins (Ilana says: Austin’s need to feed himself led to the invention of these hand-held recipes)
Courtesy of Ilana O’Rand
Ingredients:
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. organic oat bran
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 stick unsalted butter
3/4 c. organic, no sugar applesauce
3 organic bananas, 1 mashed (1/2 c.) and 2 sliced up
1/4 c. organic brown sugar
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
2 egg yolks
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 24 mini muffin cups.
With a fork, combine flour, bran, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave for 35 seconds. In a large bowl, combine melted butter, applesauce, mashed banana, sugar, pumpkin and egg yolks. Mix together. Add flour mixture to applesauce mixture until blended. Batter will be lumpy and very moist.
Put batter into muffin cups, filling about 2/3 up. Place sliced bananas on top of each muffin. Bake for 12 min, or until golden brown. Cool in pan or on top of cooling rack for 5 min before opping them out.
Mommy & Daddy will like these too.
11. Veggie Pancakes (Ilana says: very portable for Mommy & Me days or lunch out of the house)
Courtesy of Ilana O’Rand
Ingredients:
1 c. organic broccoli florets
12 organic asparagus spears
1 c. slice organic mushrooms1/4 c. chopped organic onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 c. pumpkin puree
2/3 c. organic whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 egg yolk
1/4 c. whole milk yogurt
1/4 c. shredded cheese (optional)
Directions:
Steam broccoli and asparagus 4-5 min or until tender.
Put broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, onion and garlic in food processor and pulse to chop everything up or just chop by hand. Put all chopped ingredients into large bowl and stil in pumpkin puree (this is for moisture as opposed to oil or some other fat), flour and salt. Add the egg yolk and yogurt and mix thoroughy with big wooden spoon.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat coated with cooking spray. Drop batter into skillet, however big or small you want the pancakes to be. Cook until firm mon bottom, about 2 min. Flip them and sprinkle with little cheese, if you like. Cook remaining sides for another min.
12. Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash, and Pear Casserole (Ilana Says: Huge hit at Thanksgiving and kid-friendly too!)
Courtesy of Ilana O’Rand
6 ½ peeled cubed sweet potato (about 2 lbs)
4 ½ c. peeled cubed butternut squash (about 1 ½ lbs)
3 tbsp reduced calorie stick margarine (I use sweet butter)
2 2/3 c. peeled chopped pear (about 1 lb)½ c. sugar
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
Bake all the sweet potato & squash on cooking sheet - about 25 min @400 degrees.
Melt butter in skillet over med heat. Add pear; sauté 8 min or until tender.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash mixture, pear, sugar and next 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Spoon mixture into an 11x7 in baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Before baking I add ¼ c. chopped pecans and 1tbsp brown sugar on top. Bake, uncovered, @350 degrees for 30 min. Yield 12 servings (1/2 c. servings)
13. Pumpkin Risotto (Ilana says: Austin loved this one so much he had 2 servings. Ah, the Italian in him is coming out.)
Courtesy of The Petit Appetit by Lisa Barnes
Ingredients:
1/2 c. Arborio or short grain rice
1 1/2 c. veggie stock, broth or water
1 tsp unsalted butter
1/2 c. butternut squash puree or canned pumpkin puree (I used pumpkin)
pinch of nutmeg
Makes about 2 c.
In a saucepan over medium- high heat, combine the rice and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to ow, cover and simmer stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft and creamy, about 20 min. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 10 min.
Stir in the butter, squash puree and nutmeg into the rice. Depending on the baby's age and chewing ability you can transfer the risotto to a food processor or blender and process to a coarse or smooth puree. You can also add stock, broth or water to thin the puree to a consistency your baby can handle. Serve lukewarm or at room temp.
Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze individual portions in freezer container, for up to 3 months.
14. Balsamic Turkey Meatloaf (Romina says: Cooks in 20 mins when I put in mini cupcake tin, without the glaze for Jonah. He loves them! Don’t get scared away by all of the ingredients listed. Use what you have around the house – the meat is a great disguise for the veggies! I also don’t use the red pepper flakes at all, and for the glaze I throw in about 1 Tb spoon or more of brown sugar and that makes it magical.)
Courtesy: Bobby Flay
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small zucchini, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)
• 1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell peppers, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.
Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
15. Italian Goulash (Stephanie’s BIG HIT at lunch!)
Courtesy: Stephanie Klein
Ingredients:
1 pkg trader joes chicken sausage uncooked
1 cup mushrooms
4 cups vegetable stock
1 pound pasta (I used one from Bristol farms)
1 pound of cooked meatballs, thawed if from frozen
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow pepper
1 cup onion
3 T each, parsley & oregano
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 jar Classico 4 cheese pasta sauce
Directions:
Boil sausages for 10 minutes in vegetable stock, add pasta, and boil 9 minutes longer. Drain. Use same pan and heat olive oil over medium high heat, sautéed onion, mushrooms, herbs, & bell pepper and garlic till soft. Add half of the jar of sauce and stir. Cut sausages into bite size pieces. Add meatballs, sausage and pasta to pan, add remaining sauce. Keep warm on stove or in crock pot.
16. Baby Muffins
Courtesy: Stephanie Klein
Ingredients:
1 cup baby oatmeal
¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ripe banana’s mashed
1 cup grated carrots
½ c. applesauce
3 tablespoons oil
2 eggs
½ cup chia seeds (find at whole foods)
Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients; add banana, carrots, applesauce, oil, eggs, and seeds. Mix until blended. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes depending on the size of your muffins.
17. Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie (Stacey says its super yummy & good clean eating)
Courtesy: Stacey Derr
Ingredients:-Olive oil or cooking spray-1 lb sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped)-1/2 lb red skin potatoes, scrubbed well and chopped-1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed (i used green and it was fine)-3 crowns broccoli, florets only (4-5 cups)-1 cup low-fat cottage cheese-1 egg, lightly beaten-1 tsp extra virgin olive oil-1 large yellow onion, chopped-2 large carrots, chopped- 6 stalks celery, chopped-1/4 tsp salt- 1tsp dried thyme- 1 tsp dried sage- fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions: One: Preheat oven to 400. Coat an 8x8 or 1x7 baking dish with cooking spray or evoo and set aside.
Two: Fill 2 large pots halfway with water and brig to a boil. Add sweet potatoes and redskin to 1 pot. Cover and reduce heat to medium, -high. Add lentils to remaining pot and reduce heat to meduim-high, Let both pots simmer for 10 minutes.
Three: Add broccoli to lentil pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile drain potatoes, return to pot and add cottage cheese. Stir in egg and use a potato masher to mash until smooth.
Four: In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium heat for 1 minute, Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally Stir un satm thyme and sage and cook for 2 minutes. remove from heat and str in lentil mixture. Season with pepper. Spoon mixture in to baking dish, spreading evenly over bottom. Drop large spoonfuls of potato mixture over top and smooth with back of spoon bake fore 40 minutes, until edges of crust begin to turn light brown.
Other
Grocery Store Faves: Mason loves the Dr. Praegers veggie burgers. You can find them at Ralphs, Vons and Whole Foods.
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