Teething Soothers

Mom's are alway looking for creative ways to soothe the teething pain and calm a fussy baby or toddler. One thing I always give Sofia is homemade popsicles. She can hold them on the tooth or gum herself and they taste good. Here is a simple recipe:

Frozen Yogurt and Fruit Popsicle

1 cup organic plain whole milk yogurt
1 organic banana
1 organic peach (fresh or frozen depending on time of year)


Puree fruits together in Cuisinart, add yogurt and blend together well.
Pour mixture into popsicle containers and freeze. If you don't have popsicle molds you can simply use small paper dixie cups or ice cube trays and popsicle sticks.

Some other great ideas:

1. Frozen Dried Apricots (depending on child's age) are great for them to suck on

2. Frozen Fruit like bananas or peach slices - again depending on a child's age

3. If your child uses a pacifier stick it in the freezer for a little while - not long enough to freeze completely.

4. Super soft frozen washcloth

5. Frozen Raspberries - this is one of Sofia's favorites.

How to Make a Kids Day!

I was doing some food blog research over the weekend - I am a self confessed blog addict especially food & design blogs - when I came across an adorable site & blog called Funky Lunch out of the UK. They are all about the most adorable sandwiches you have ever seen. They go into schools and get kids to create these little pieces of sandwich art while teaching them the importance of eating healthy. Sofia would have no problem devouring this Hello Kitty sandwich. I love the inspiration and the idea of getting kids involved in their food choices!

Time to Build a Little Independence

Its hard to believe that time can really move as quickly as it does when you have a child. They go from newborn to toddler in what seems like a blink of an eye. One minute you are breastfeeding at 3 am and the next minute your 9 month old begins to grab for the spoon and will no longer let you feed her. Some kids learn how to use utensils and feed themselves without much help at all while others are reluctant to try at all. As parents we want them to learn to become independent yet don't always know how or when. From 9 months to 12 months babies grow into toddlers emotionally, physically, and developmentally they are all over the place and its difficult to sometimes keep up and amazing to see how quickly they seem to change overnight. It's the time when you are transitioning them from baby food to toddler food and allowing them a little freedom when it comes to trying to feed themselves. Our next Chunky Monkey class is all about helping your kiddo find their own feeding time freedom by helping you create recipes that are just perfect for amateur utensil users as well as little fingers to grasp on to. You will leave with lots of information and tips as well as a supply of samples to take home to your own Chunky Monkey! Simply go to Stir Cooking School to sign up!

Eating Well on an Itty Bitty Budget

Did you see? Our own Nicole Dominic was featured in this month's Northwest Daily Tribune. She wrote about feeding your family well on a limited budget.

Check out her article here! Way to go, Nicole.

Eating Meat, Part II

Nicole is so right in her post about getting your little ones to eat meat; soup is a fabulous way to get it in. Another technique I've used lately, especially with the cold weather: Whenever I make chicken or fish, I make a point to make a yummy sauce along with it, and a side that the meat can easily be mixed into so that A. can either dip or stir the whole plate together. It works like a charm, and the grownup meal still tastes gourmet and yummy (and looks pretty too). You could easily cut the chicken very small and mix it in with the sauce for younger babies, too.

An old favorite I'd like to share is this Wolfgang Puck recipe for Paprika Chicken. Sound difficult? It isn't. Just chop the veggies ahead of time, use jarred roasted red peppers instead of roasting them yourself, and premeasure everything ahead of cooking. If you don't want to make dumplings, just make mashed potatoes or rice as a side, and you've got a meal worthy of your toddler and your single professional friend who comes over for a visit (just like mine did Saturday night!). Enjoy!

Whats Cooking at Stir!

I was fortunate enough to partake in a wonderful cooking class at Stir Cooking School on Saturday morning called Crepes and Souffles! It was honestly the best class I've every taken, incredibly well organized, super fun, and very educational! I was so inspired I made my family Crepes for dinner the next night. This made me realize while we are always talking up our classes at Stir we have never mentioned what makes this beautiful little piece of culinary heaven so very special besides the owner who is really the heart and soul of the whole operation. Unlike other recreational cooking schools in Denver, Stir really has a class for EVERYONE and I mean everyone. From their Sticky Fingers classes for kids and teens, to their Friday night date night classes, fabulous mixology classes, family friendly cooking classes, and their beginning cooking series just to mention a few - there is honestly something that can inspire any cook of any age and any skill level. I am already looking forward to my next one and the only issue I have is trying to decide between them all!! Oh and the bar, did I mention the bar - you can relax with a glass of wine and watch the cooking classes going on behind the glass partitions. Yeah its really the coolest new spot in town!

Getting Kids to Eat Meat

One question I get over and over again is how do you get kids to eat meat? First, this was a challenge I have faced with my own daughter. She has never ever eaten red meat - it's totally gross according to her refined 2 year old palate and honestly I am totally okay with that. She does eat turkey and chicken on occasion as well as Salmon. When it comes to protein and iron I really on things like veggies, grains, legumes, beans, etc.. Again, I'm totally okay with that. There was a time she wouldn't eat chicken or turkey either until I found out how to prepare it the way she likes it. Chicken Scallopine with salt and pepper, turkey sandwiches on thin whole grain bread with cheese and a little mayo, and salmon with honey and mustard. Basically the way I would eat it with seasoning and not dry and overcooked. Her new thing is soup she loves soup and I found this recipe the other day that I tried this week and she loved it. I bought a roasted chicken from Costco and shredded it so the pieces where easy for her to get onto her spoon. We all loved this recipe! So if you are having trouble getting your kiddo to eat meat, first step is to let it go and give them plenty of iron and protein rich foods from other sources, second change up how you give it to them one bite at a time with lots of flavor and moist never dry, and if nothing works don't worry simply fill their bellies full of a healthy vegetarian based diet. Just keep presenting it to them allowing them to try new foods from your plate and keep it light and fun. Praise them for tasting even if they spit it out - getting them to try it is just as big of a win as them actually scarfing it down!

Chicken Tortilla Soup


2 cups water
14 ounce can chicken broth (or 1 1/2 c water and two bouillon cubes)
29 ounce can crushed tomatoes
11 ounce can enchilada sauce
4 ounce can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
2-3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded (can use more if you like)
2 cups frozen corn (or 2 cans corn, drained)
1 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 six inch corn tortillas
Toppings: cheese, sour cream, etc for toppings

Dump everything except toppings and corn tortillas in a large pot. Place over medium to medium high heat and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer thirty minutes.
Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut each tortilla into thin strips. Place in soup and cook ten minutes more before serving.

Serve soup with desired toppings such as plain Greek Yogurt, and cheese.

recipe courtesy of www.fullbellies.blogspot.com.

Pureed Goodness at Stir!

It's that time again: We're offering the ever-popular Pureed Goodness class, except this time it will take place at Stir Cooking School this Saturday from 4-5:30. This class is intended for folks who are beginning to make their own solid baby food for their little ones. Not only will participants leave with samples of purees for their little ones to try, they'll more importantly have the know-how to keep making homemade baby food, and it's faster and easier than most people think! We'll give you tips to make it efficient, inexpensive, and fun.

We would love to be able to fill this class up, so please sign up soon or contact us at info@mishmashhomemade.com to receive a special discount code if you sign up by this Thursday! Also included in the class is a super-fun Mish Mash bib, either with our logo or a "Super Tryer" logo. We promise you'll leave inspired to make your own baby food from now on.

Sign up at www.stirtolearn.com .

Teach Kids to Play with Their Food

I just discovered a fantastic new company through my favorite blog Ohdeedoh today. It's called Food Fun and they have developed super cute games to help teach your kids the importance of eating healthy. By learning where their food comes from, what foods are good for them and why you can put your kids on the path to a healthy lifestyle right from the start. This is a great way to engage a picky eater into getting to know those icky green veggies by having fun with their fruits and vegetables. The company was started by moms who are interested in spreading the word on the importance of introducing wholesome food to your child right from the get go. If you'd like to be involved in their mission you can join their Mom Squad and help to get the word out in your community.

Let Them Eat Cake - Party Recap!

The birthday was a success. She was super happy to see all her friends in one place and didn't stop singing happy birthday to herself for two days afterwards. The singing was most definitely her favorite part ...... oh yeah and the big bouquet of balloons she was left with when the party was over.

I love putting together all the details. I put a lot of thought into how I could make it special for her and how to have it really represent her awesome little personality. So I picked things she loves like polka dots,buttons, and her favorite colors pinks and blues. The goody bags included little dinosaurs for the boys, fun little rings for the girls, stickers, organic sugar-free lollipops (best lollipop ever), and super fun sunglasses. All things Sofia would have picked out herself. I also am a sentimental fool and like the idea of something I can incorporate every year which is where the birthday wish jar idea came from - I asked everyone to write down a wish for her. I think this will be a really sweet momento she will always have to remember her birthday every year. And who couldn't use a jar full of wishes!

I made lemon cupcakes and covered them with a lemon curd glaze a dollop of pink vanilla icing and sprinkled with unsweetened coconut which looked like snow.

I need to make it very clear that I am not a baker in fact making the cake was a very big risk and then to decide to make multiple layers was just insanity. It definitely wasn't perfect, but it was really yummy and my daughter who never EVER eats sweets ate an entire piece and that's in fact all that matters. It was a lemon cake with lemon curd and raspberry filling and vanilla icing with coconut. Basically I took all of Sofia's favorite flavors and put them into one cake.

This Week in Mish+Mash News!

Happy Snowy Monday Morning!! - at least that's what we woke up to in Denver this morning. We have lots of great things happening in the Mish+Mash offices this week.

First up, our next class at Stir Cooking School is tomorrow night at 6:30 and we still have a couple spots left. The class is Chunky Monkeys (9 - 14 months of age) - SUPERFOODS FOR SUPER KIDS. We will be making recipes that include essential superfoods- nutrition to optimize your childs growth and development First 2 people to email us at info@mishmashhomemade.com will receive 15% off if you sign up today!

Our next Finger Foodies (12 months and up) class will be next Tuesday at 6:30pm and we'll be making over Kid Menu Fav's like mac & cheese, and chicken nuggets! Want to give kids food you know they like but pump up the volume on taste, flavor, and nutrition? This is a great way to get out of the rut we all can so easily find us in when dealing with a toddlers picky palate. Best part about our Finger Foodies classes is that these are recipes the whole family can enjoy

We were recently featured in the North Denver Tribune and also had our first article published all about feeding your family on a budget. Here's the link to our feature you can find our article by clicking on the link on the main page. http://www.northdenvertribune.com/2011/01/mishmash-makes-cooking-for-kids-easy-and-fun/
We will have an article pertaining to food including recipes, tips, and techniques every issue.


We love to hear any ideas for classes you'd like to see us teach! Any particular food challenge you are currently facing you would like help with? Please comment either on our blog or on our Facebook page!

And finally, I will wrap up the details of my daughters birtday tomorrow including pictures and the cake & cupcake recipes! Everyone had a blast especially the birthday girl herself who told us that night that her 2nd birthday party was "the best party ever".

Party Food Part 3

Wild Rice Salad

(adapted from Barefoot Contessa how easy is that?)

1 cup long-grain wild rice

kosher salt

2 navel oranges

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

1/2 cup seedless green grapes, cut in half

1/2 cup Chia seeds

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place the wild rice in a medium pot with 4 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes until the rice is very tender. Drain well and place the rice back in the pot. Cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes

While the rice is still warm, place it in a mixing bowl. Peel the oranges with a sharp knife, removing all the white pith. Cut between the membranes and add the orange sections to the bowl with the rice. Add the olive oil, orange juice, raspberry vinegar, grapes,cranberries, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Allow to sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. taste for seasonings and serve at room temperature.

Greek Panzanella (Bread Salad)

(adapted from Barefoot Contessa how easy is that?)

1/4 cup good olive oil, divided

6 cups (1 inch) diced rustic bread

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 red bell pepper, seeded, and diced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, and diced

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved

1/4 cup good red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 pound good feta cheese, 3/4 inch diced

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

2 teaspoons roasted garlic

Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large saute pan until hot. Add the bread and sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Set aside.

Place the cucumber, bell peppers, and tomatoes in a large bowl and toss together.

For the vinaigrette, place the vinegar, roasted garlic, oregano, mustard, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a small bowl and whisk together. Whisking constantly, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil to make an emulsion. (Or use an emulsion hand blender)

Add the feta, olives, and bread to the vegetables in the bowl, add the vinaigrette and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to develop. Season to taste and serve at room temperature.

Party Countdown Part 2

When I was putting together the menu I had to consider budget, the number of people I needed to feed, food that is appealing to both kids and adults, and food that is easy to eat buffet style. Turkey Meatballs seemed to be a good choice in covering all the bases. I needed to find a recipe that would make them moist and yummy enough to be able to be eaten at room temperature and without any messy marinara sauce. This is a recipe I originally found in a cookbook called Time for Dinner which I blogged about previously. The recipe calls for Veal but I simply substituted it for Ground Turkey. I made some super cute little polka dot flags atop of rounded toothpicks to put into each one. (I will post pics of all the little crafty decor projects I did because I like to consider myself the Indie Martha Stewart - we all have our fantasies right?)

Mini Turkey Meatballs

(adapted from Time for Dinner )

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 large egg, lightly beaten

salt and pepper to taste (turkey needs lots of help in the seasoning department keep that in mind)

1 1/2 pound ground turkey thigh

1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup ricotta

1/4 cup freshly grate parmesan

Combine the bread crumbs and milk in a small bowl, let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, egg, salt, and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Saute pan over medium . Stir the crumb mixture with a wooden spoon until well combined. Gently work the turkey into the mixture. Shape the meat into small balls, packing them loosely. Add them to the pan and reduce heat to medium/low - simmer them for about 10 - 15 minutes per side depending on the size of the meatball.

Tomorrow we are talking salads without the lettuce!

Kids Party Menu Part 1

I am the midst of party prep mania for my daughters 2nd birthday party this weekend. I am making all the food myself as well as the decorations etc.. I love planning a party! I especially love spending time on all the little details to make it super special for the birthday girl and her guests. I thought it would be fun to share all the yummy recipes with you throughout the week. I wanted a really fantastic party but we also needed to keep it on budget. I also feel there is a bit of pressure to make the food a little extra yummy and healthy considering the business I am in but I also wanted to make sure it was kid friendly AND adult friendly as well. We are also doing the party off site instead of in our home due to the fact that 12 toddlers in our 1000 sq ft bungalow makes for complete chaos. So all the recipes had to be able to be served at room temperature and easily transported. Instead of ordering pizza I decided to make Tomato & Mozzarella Tarts - easy, inexpensive, and super duper tasty!

Tomato & Mozzarella Tarts:

recipe makes one tart adjust for number of people you need to feed

Crust:
1 package of ready made frozen puff pastry

fresh mozzarella sliced thin

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts* see Cook's Note below (optional)
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/2 to 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt
For the crust:
Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the puff pastry dough and brush with olive oil.
For the pesto:

In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture forms a smooth and thick consistency. Add the Parmesan and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Using a spatula, spread the pesto over the cooled crust. Arrange the tomato slices and mozzarella on top of the pesto and garnish with the sliced basil . Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown.
*Cook's Note: To toast pine nuts, place on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly browned.

Tomorrow we will talk turkey meatballs!

Happy 2011!

Baby Sol enjoying purees from a Pureed Goodness class his mama, Fairlight, took a few months ago.

We hope your holiday season was wonderful, and that you had some rest mixed in there too. I love this time of year; something about it feels like a reset button to my mind- I tend to clean out the cobwebs, look for what can be simplified, and try to improve my habits. When I taught elementary school, I loved coming back from break and seeing all the well-rested kids. I was always amazed at how much they grew in two short weeks away from our classroom.

Receiving this recent picture (above) of one of our participants' kiddos reminded me that our parents' babies, too, are growing quickly. This little guy is enjoying the fruits of our labor from a Pureed Goodness workshop, and we're so glad. Thanks to Fairlight for the pic.

Your kids are probably growing quickly too! You may be wondering, "How do we get out of this food rut?" or "How do we move on from basic purees?" Mish Mash to the rescue!

Check out our January schedule: There's a Pureed Goodness class on a Saturday, a Chunky Monkeys class for babies moving to finger foods, a Lunchbox Heroes class that includes one of these Skip Hop lunchbox backpacks for your little foodie, and a "Menu Makeovers" class to get your toddler eating healthier versions of those usual go-to's. Check out Stir's site for dates and times.

All of these are make and take style workshops, so you'll leave not only with inspiration but also samples to try with your child. This is a great deal when you consider the grocery shopping you'd have to do on your own for these recipes.

We hope to see you and inspire you to nourish your little one this year with healthy, yummy recipes.

****Oh, and one extra perk: Mention you signed up after reading our blog and you'll receive a glass of wine at our workshop. Need we entice you more?