Baby Gourmet

My latest area of concern with my baby's food is texture. Recently, I have been trying to make the transition from purees to actual solids.

Sure, I may be getting a wee bit ahead of myself seeing as my 10-month-old only has 6 teeth (though his 6 are probably stronger and sharper than my 32), but the keyword is gradual. So as time passes, I make my purees thicker and thicker. Occasionally, I'll even leave some chunks, but it is very important to be cautious with chunks, as something that seems too small for your baby to choke on may turn out to be a hazard.

With really tender fruits and vegetables like bananas or cooked potatoes, a fork is my utensil of choice for controlling texture. But when it comes to certain other things, an immersion blender, or simply pulsing a few times in a food processor, works well to reach the desired consistency.

I left my latest concoction quite thick, and the little guy didn't seem to mind...

Gardener's Bounty
yield: 1 1/2 cups

6 oz organic summer squash, small dice
4 oz organic carrots, small dice
1 cup organic frozen peas
1 cup water
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

Place vegetables and water into a medium pan or saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cover, and continue to simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes, or until vegetables are fork tender. Add the parsley and mint, and cook for another minute. Drain the vegetables, reserving the cooking liquid. Puree the vegetables with about 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid (add more if you want the puree to be thinner).

A Cookie for the Bride

One thing I remember about my wedding day is an empty stomach.

From the photographer snapping away to the guests ambushing me with congratulatory speeches, I barely had the chance to eat that day, let alone go to the bathroom (but that's a whole nother story).

So a few weeks ago when I was a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding, I decided to intervene by making cookies. Unfortunately my efforts proved futile since the bride was way too nervous to eat, and the groom turned out to be allergic to chocolate.

In any case, the rest of the bridal party seemed to enjoy them :)

Mocha Cookies
yield: about a dozen cookies

1 stick butter, unsalted
1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 tsp espresso powder (or instant coffee) dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/4 cup + 2 tsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and 1 cup sugar, until pale yellow and creamy (Use an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment if you have one). Continue to mix, as you add the egg, espresso mixture, and the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, conbine the flour, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix until combined. Chill cookie batter in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tsp cocoa powder with 2 tbsp sugar, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 rectangular sheetpans with parchment paper.

Roll the chilled cookie batter into balls (slightly smaller than the size of a golf ball), dip into the cocoa-sugar mixture, and place on the sheetpan (making sure to provide adequate space between each cookie).
Bake about 12 minutes.