Baby Food Pouches I always made my own baby food pouches because I like how affordable they are and how once you have a set of reusable pouches, there are so many options! Plus, you can feed many things you’re making for the rest of the family in a pouch, which means you can share flavors with the little ones even if they aren’t quite up to baby finger foods yet....
Baby Tableware After going through the process of starting solids with three kids, I have strong opinions on what is actually needed to make the process smooth. The list is not long, but there are a few things that can make it easier—and help you avoid having to purchase new things every few months. I’m sharing my top picks for baby spoons, cups, bibs, and high chairs as that’s really all you need to introduce solids to a baby....
Tikka Masala Chicken tikka masala is the arguably the most popular dish in Indian cuisine in the Western world for good reason – it’s unbelievably delicious. We have eaten it all over the world – in England where it was invented, New York, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. – but the best version anywhere is from the Bombay House restaurant in good old Provo, Utah! So thanks, Provo and more specifically Bombay House, for introducing and converting this mostly mid-west girl to the bold, rich and exotic flavors of the largest country in South Asia....
Reusable Pouch A reusable pouch is a pliable container used to hold baby food or other soft foods such as liquids or applesauce. They are an easy way to make homemade baby food pouches you can buy at the store, which can save money and give you total freedom over the foods you put inside them. They’re typically made from silicone or BPA-free plastic. And they make it easier for little kids to drink smoothies and to eat foods that are otherwise tricky to self-feed with a spoon from a young age....
Wassail is a delightfully delicious drink with a fascinating history that at least dates back to the 12th century. The deliciously warm and fruity fragrance of this hot mulled cider drink is enough to fill a home with holiday spirit! It’s a delightful addition to any Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve gathering and something I remember enjoying when my mom would make it when I was growing up. This easy, historical recipe is a great way to introduce children to the joys of cooking, and the process of making wassail could become a cherished Christmas tradition in itself!...
I’m not sure why I didn’t grow up eating it all the time but I became enamored of it. You might have had this variety of dal before if you’ve ever ordered dal makhani, as it is traditionally used in that dish. As an adult, it’s a lentil I make sure to always have stored in my pantry. I love dal/lentils. They are dirt cheap, high in protein, super versatile, a really good source of fiber (sometimes I pretend they are a vegetable to avoid cooking a second dish), and have a ton of really important vitamins and minerals in them....
Cantaloupe for Baby A ripe cantaloupe is one of my family’s very favorite fruits. My kids even have a phrase for a really good one: “Cantaloupe heaven”. This fruit, which is a great hydrating food and Vitamin C, is a delicious side dish or baby snack with the kids from soon after they start solids. Because many cantaloupes (and honeydew) can be a little firm, there are some basic guidelines to keep in mind when preparing them for a baby and toddler....
I was inspired to make these caramel cornflake brownies after seeing something similar pop-up in my Facebook feed from a UK bakery known as George’s Bakery. They only sell at farmer’s markets in England and ship in the UK, so I knew the only way I was going to get to try these was to make a version myself, and I’m so glad I did! Really it’s just a combination of my super popular fudgy homemade brownie recipe that gets a thick layer of cornflakes tossed in my salted caramel sauce....
Making salad dressings at home is so fun, and a great way of know what is in your food! You’ll want to smother our Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing over EVERYTHING (especially tacos!) and try our Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing for a classic you’ll come back to again and again! Have you tried Catalina Dressing before? It’s sweet, salty, tangy, and SO addictive! When I set out to make my own version, I found a few very interesting things....
For more potato side dishes, be sure to check out our crispy fried Latkes and herb-infused Batata Harra. Why You’ll Love It Not only is Colcannon a hearty and delicious side dish, but it’s also very budget-friendly. Potatoes and cabbage are just about two of the cheapest ingredients out there. What we especially love is how versatile it is. It can go with a huge range of main courses. We’ll give you some ideas later in the post....
Cranberry Brie Bites are a stunning and surprisingly easy holiday appetizer to make! The combination of melty brie cheese with sweet cranberry sauce wrapped in buttery crescent dough creates an irresistible treat. I made a double batch of these to take to a party recently and had to keep swatting Paul and the girls away because they were trying to sneak them when I wasn’t looking. What makes Cranberry Brie Bites so great is their versatility and ease – simple enough for a quick weeknight snack but elegant enough to serve at a holiday party....
We love having friends over for a backyard barbecue during the summer and enjoying potluck salads like this one. Some of our other favorites are Classic Frog Eye Salad and Classic Potluck Broccoli Salad. Creamy Grape Salad I’m fully behind the idea of serving sweet, fruity “salads” as a side dish to a meal, even though they could really also double as dessert. This creamy grape salad is a perfect example....
This is a creamy cashew based curry with a medley of veggies that would pair perfectly with rice or your favorite naan bread. Try one of the most popular comfort foods out of India and you will be amazed with all the subtle flavors that goes in the making of this vegetable curry. Not all the curries that come out of India are spicy. Some of them are mild, yet jam packed with flavors....
Any recipe with the word “curry” in the name is pretty much Alpana’s territory. That was until I cooked Australian Curried Sausages a few months back. She rolled her eyes at that one, but after eating it she declared it a hit. So now I’m at it again, and this time I’m tapping into my German blood. Currywurst was supposedly invented in West Berlin by food kiosk owner Herta Heuwer in 1949, and it has since taken over the street food scene all over the country....
Carrot Hummus Hummus is one of those perfect baby and toddler foods—it’s soft, versatile, and lasts for a while in the fridge. It’s an excellent source of vegetarian protein and can be mixed up in just a few minutes. This version includes softened carrots to add nutrients and flavor and is a favorite carrot recipe. This is one of my favorite toddler lunch ideas, whether to serve at home (and eat myself!...
You know how sometimes you go to Costco for just one thing and end up leaving with an entire cartful of items you didn’t anticipate needing? It happens to me all too often, and in this case it was a huge tub of mini M&M’s. I don’t know what came over me, but when I saw them I just had to buy it. In an effort to use up some of those M&M’s rather than just eating them all (why are mini M&M’s even better than regular sized?...
This is hands down, one of my all-time favorite desserts. I know that gets bandied about a lot on food blogs, but we’re talking Top Ten status here. It’s so simple, super satisfying, and if you love berry desserts and lots of incredible textures, this one’s for you. Of all the crisps (peach, cherry crisp, apple crisp, pumpkin, etc.), and of course we love them all, mixed berry crisp is my numero uno forever....
Pinto Bean Recipe We have a regular Mexican night each Tuesday and we go through a lot of beans. And while canned beans are so quick and easy, it’s almost as easy to make a big batch in the Instant Pot to use for multiple meals. Instant Pot Beans This is our go-to set-it-and-forget-it pinto bean recipe for cooking dried beans. It’s so easy, only requires a few simple ingredients, and makes enough to stash a second (or third) meal in the freezer for future weeks....
This post is sponsored by Colavita. I’ve been looking for yummy ways to incorporate different veggies than we usually eat into our diet and this red pepper sauce is a new favorite. I love how roasting the peppers with onions and garlic deepens their flavors and that it’s as simple as blending everything together after that step. You can use fresh or frozen veggies to make this and the sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer, too....
I can’t remember where I stumbled on sugared cranberries first, but it was probably years ago in the pages of a Food Network magazine or something. These sparkly winter jewels add such a festive touch to any dessert that I can’t resist making them at least once or twice each holiday season. They were the perfect choice for decorating my cranberry coconut cake. I’m really not much of a decorator when it comes to fancy piping or design, but these sugared cranberries make everything look fancy without hardly any effort....
