super easy peasy teething biscuits

These were so easy and simple and my little dude is just so excited to feel like he is eating real food. He feels like he's part of the "in" crowd, I can tell. He doesn't have teeth yet, so I am going to recommend this for babies who are just gumming at this point, since that's what I know works. And of course, always stay close by to watch your kiddo when they're eating. But he sucked on these for at least twenty minutes at a time with no crumbling at all. Then it'd end up on the floor... and then he'd want another one. So, I call that success!

1/2 cup flour (I used whole wheat)
1/2 cup baby rice cereal
1/4 cup baby food (I used homemade sweet potato puree)
1/4 cup 100% juice

Mix all of your ingredients together. Lightly flour your surface and the dough (it's really sticky, especially with whole wheat flour). Roll out to a little less than 1/4" (think thick cracker) and use a glass or cookie cutter to cut them (nice round edges are best). Bake on a lightly oiled cookie sheet at 325 degrees F for about 30 minutes.  Store in an airtight container.

I noticed on my first batch that the dough tends to bubble. Maybe it's the flour I used. With the second batch, I checked on them after about ten minutes and pressed them with a spatula to prevent the bubbling. I also pricked the surface with a fork. After another ten minutes, I flipped them to finish off. They get a little dark around the edges, but they're nice and hard and shouldn't break in baby's mouth.

You can feel good about them - nothin' bad for your baby. I keep them in the fridge - this recipe makes 7 or 8 biscuits - perfect for the week!

valentine delight

This has not been the healthiest week of my life. I have eaten a lot of really delicious, not so health conscious food. It's all about balance though, right? I've also spent the week steaming a lot of vegetables, pureeing them, and freezing them in cubes for my little pumpkin, but that wouldn't make for the most interesting post. Mamas, stay tuned this week though if you're interested in homemade teething biscuits... that's my next project.


Tonight was one of the best dinners I have made in a long time. I am not bragging, I am just excited to share. It was easy, if slightly time consuming, but totally worth it. And it got the response I wanted from my husband: grunts of satisfaction with every bite. And all thanks to Real Simple. I love that magazine.


So, here it is: Potato Leek Flat Bread. I used a recipe at Food Network for the pizza dough  (which, by the way I have used before, using whole wheat flour, and it was a little dense. Tonight I used all purpose and it was really good).  You can used ground thyme instead of fresh, and you can skip the cheese if you want to lighten it up. But you can also add a couple of slices of prosciutto, like I did, for a little something special.


All you need to go with it is a nice little salad and you've got yourself one delicious meal (we also had seared scallops, but honestly, they were secondary to this flat bread). Enjoy!

for all the little sickies

The junk struck our house a few weeks ago - coughing, sniffling, sore throats, headaches... blech. By the time it made its way through all of us, we had spent about 3 weeks wiping noses, sleeping next to humidifiers, and listening to pathetic little coughs from all corners of our house.

I wanted so badly to alleviate that loud, hoarse, sad cough for my little guy. Over-the-counter medication isn't recommended for kids under 4, so apart from a little cherry scented VapoRub, chances of relief looked dismal.

Until mama did a little research. Turns out those OTC meds really only help them sleep, but don't do much for the cough so they weren't really worth pining after anyway.  The more I looked into it, the more I heard that a tablespoon of honey is a natural, quick remedy for a cough. After three nights, we were more than ready, willing and able to test it out. Guess what? It totally worked! Nearly instant relief, and almost a full nights sleep. 

After further research, I also found out that the antioxidants it contains are natural immune boosters. Double bonus!  Since you can't give honey to babies under the age of one, the littlest guys just had to deal, but big brother definitely benefited.

So, if you find yourself stricken with the junk, or you've got sick little cuties hacking the night away, try a spoonful and you'll all sleep a little better.

even your kids will like it

My husband loves coleslaw. LOVES it. I have never liked it. The only exception I make is when you can get it on your barbecue sandwich - a real southern treat. We don't live in the south, so this has happened once in my life. Anyway, I digress.

This salad is where we meet in the middle. It is kinda, sorta like coleslaw, but so much fresher, crunchier, and better for you. Not sure if you've noticed my love of carrots, but I try to put them in everything. My kid says he doesn't like them, but he is going on looks alone because I don't think he has ever knowingly put a carrot in his mouth.

This is a quick, simple side dish and goes especially well with barbecue - which is what we're having tonight. This Zesty Chicken is awesome and amazing - another thing worth trying. 

OHM's Carrot Salad

6 large carrots, peeled

1/2 cup golden raisins

2 apples (I prefer honeycrisp or pink lady), peeled and chopped

1/4 reduced fat mayo

1/4 cup light sour cream

1 tablespoon (or a little more) honey

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

salt to taste

Using your peeler, or a grater, shred carrots into a bowl. Add raisins and apples. In a separate container, whisk the remaining ingredients and combine with salad. You can eat this right away, or put it in the fridge for up to three days.  Mmmmm, good good good.

When I told the little dude what I was making, he informed me he would just like the apples and raisins, thankyouverymuch. But with a little coercion, even he had to admit it was pretty darn good.