Can, Can, can you do the Can Can?

We did some more canning! This is our second go at it. Our first time was the lovely Orange Marmalade we did earlier this year when oranges were more in season. But this go at it we did some peaches! We did this little venture a little while ago, but I have been a little busy and slacking and haven't been able to post on it till now. We got 25lbs of peaches for about $12-15 (I am sorry, but I really can't remember the exact amount). And we got them through Bountiful Baskets, as one of their extra bonus sides. If you haven't heard of it you should really check them out, we LOVE getting our produce from them!

So here is some fun photos from our round two canning experience:

Here are the lovely things, oh so yummy and ready to go!

 After much pealing, slicing and dicing and preparing, they are now REALLY ready!

 Jars all ready and set!

 And there they go, formulating into yummy canned peaches!

 We also made some peach jam- oh so yummy! Did I mention this was so yummy!?

 The finished products!

 Then we had so many peaches and they were going bad fast, so we pureed some and froze them in little cubes for my little girl to eat as well

 Then we also diced some into little mushy bit sized cubes so that when she is a little older and is more into finger foods she can eat these too (we froze them as well so they will last)

 Then to more officially use up these yummy peaches and keeping them from going bad, we made some yummy homemade ice cream and. . . .

Peach cobbler to go with it! It is was super delightful!

Anyway, that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by on this lovely Money Saving Monday!

Until next time!. . . . .

Baby Food Popsicles!

I don't know about where you are at, but it is getting super toasty warm for us here in Idaho (finally!). And nothing says refreshing tastiness like a Popsicle on a warm day. Well since my little girl is still little, and I don't want to completely corrupt her yet in introducing her to crazy addictive sugars I came up with the idea of making her baby food in a Popsicle! I got one of her more fruity flavors (cuz I don't know, green bean or corn Popsicle just didn't sound right, although when I went to Mexico they sold bean Popsicles, so maybe it wouldn't be too far off!), and then I put it into this sucker tray I inherited from my mom, but I think ice cub trays or even official Popsicle maker trays would work great too. Then I poured the pures in, put some of her small baby spoons in and froze it!
She had her first one just the other day and she loved it! Not to mention it probably felt really good for her sore teething gums. But if you try this, I would highly recommend watching them eat it (cuz my girl broke off part of hers as it thawed some and it very much scared her, maybe could have chocked her if I hadn't caught it in time, although it probably would have thawed enough on its way down it might not have done any serious damage) and it will probably be really messy, but that's what makes it all the more fun right!? Here is the pictures of it all:

 The lovely sucker mold from my momma

 Pouring in the puree and slopping in the spoons

 And wal-ah! They are done and ready to go! (I put them in a freezer zip lock bag and back in the freezer to store for later)

 Enjoying her first one, she really liked it!

 Already done- like the mischievous look on her face? :)

 Did I mention they are a little messy?

Cuz they REALLY are- but still lots of fun!

Anyway, hope you have a lovely Monday. Thanks for stopping by and until next time!. . . . .

Home Made Rice Cearl

My little girl just turned 4 months a week and a day ago! She is getting to be so big and I love it! I have been trying to read the signs of "if your baby is ready for solids yet" and I am probably more ancy about trying her on solids than she is (she probably has no idea what solids are all about). I have heard the general recommendation for feeding solids is at least 4 months. And well since she has hit that mark is has been EXTREMELY hard for me to be patient in wanting to feed her something besides the normal milk. I know I am only asking for it, cuz the minute I start I will be entering into a realm of crazy messes and very interesting times. I know, I know, I have thought that through and I am OK with it- I could have a little more color in my life! So I waited a whole WHOPPIN week after her 4 month mark before trying to give her some solids, and well I don't think she is quite ready, she didn't seem that interested, so I will give it a few more weeks :( sad day- oh well, at least it will give me more time to prepare myself for the doom of messes to come.

So long story short- the solids I gave her were not your typical commercial baby food, it was homemade! I got my recipe and ideas from this great website HERE, Wholesome Baby foods. I LOVE this website because of all the great ideas and the awakening it has given me that I don't have to give into the commerical baby food ways and I can make my own and they will be just as healthy (if not more) and not to mention it will be lots cheaper because it will be of foods that we already have and already eat!

For her first official round of solids food we did the RICE CEARL. We had rice with our normal dinner anyway, so I cooked a little more than the normal suggestion and then pulled out a portion to puree for my little girl.

The lovely rice, all cooked and ready!

Her portion that we made separate, I used our handy hand-blender to make it nice and mushy for eating ( a regular blender would work just fine too)

After making the rice all nice and mushy I added some breast milk that I pumped (sorry if that grosses you out) to make it more liquidy and easier for her to take in. I am sure formula and water could be added as well if you don't have breast milk and it would be just as effective.

Since she didn't eat a ton I put the remaining rice into our ice cube tray so we can try it again later and not have to waste all that hard work (both the rice cooking and my pumping- it is not easy making milk :)

I am rather very excited for when she will be REALLY ready for this rather than me trying to force her to be ready. I am excited to experiment with all sorts of variety of different homemade baby foods! Again, I know I am asking for one heck of a ride in messing eating but with a face like this....

I think it will be worth it! :)

Until next time!!.....

P.S.
For this first feeding she sat on my lap for it...ya it was all over me too, as you might have guessed :) This is what I want to get for her future and more daily consistent feeding:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/The-First-Years-Reclining-Feeding-Seat/14254250

It can be reclined back or sit up straight to accommodate to different levels of being able to sit for your little guy, and not to mention it is a booster seat- which I personally think is a great way to go because it can save on room- especially since they are just using another seat at the table and then use it when they are a toddler too- I am secretly and well not so secretly nudging/pushing to get it soon- i think it will be for great fun ahead! :)
OK, for real...until next time!....