Baby Cereal Biscuits

2 tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon water
1 1/2 cups baby cereal
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract and water. Mix until well blended. Gradually stir in cereal. Knead until smooth. Pat into rectangle. Cut into 12 (1-inch) bars, smoothing edges so they will not be sharp. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until dry. Store in uncovered container overnight.

When can I introduce rice?

Rice, especially in cereal form, is typically introduced anywhere between 4 to 6 months old. Rice (and Oatmeal) cereals are the least of the allergenic grains and this is why most babies are started out with those cereals. Choose Brown Rice or enriched long grain white rice. Rice may be ground up into a fine powder and cooked as you would cook Oatmeal.
Can I Use Previously Frozen Breast Milk or Formula to Make and Thin Cerealsm Vegetable or Fruit Purees?
You should not use Previously Frozen Breast Milk to thin purées that you will then be freezing into baby food cubes. Breast Milk should never be re-frozen in any way or form! Using formula to thin and then freeze Purées is acceptable. Formula companies warn that you do not freeze Infant Formula due to a separation of the formula and not due to any health or nutritional risks. Keep in mind that the amount of formula used in purées is not equal to feeding an infant a bottle of formula.
"Freezing of any Enfamil formula is NOT recommended. Freezing infant formula can lead to physical property changes like fat separation, which may prove difficult for sensitive infants to digest. Freezing will not extend the expiration date of the formula." "Freezing of our products may cause loss of desirable appearance and functionality (though not nutrition), and is not recommended." Clinical Frequently Asked Questions, Storing Enfamil
You may wish to mash or puree your baby foods and freeze without thinning with any liquid. Should you decide to do this, you simply thaw the "un-thinned" food cubes and then thin the food cubes to the desired texture that your infant requires.

Baby Teething Crackers

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk (try a little less first)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In food processor or in large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, salt and sugar. Add the egg and mix well. Blend in enough of the milk to form a dough that will hold together in a cohesive ball.

On a floured surface or pastry cloth, roll into a rectangle about 3/8 inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2 x 3-inch rectangles. Place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick each cracker 2 or 3 times with the tines of a fork. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the crackers are thoroughly dry. Cool on a rack. These crackers should be hard. If necessary, put them back in the oven for a few minutes.

Yields 10 to 15.

Baby Dinner

Source: The Mother's Almanac - Marguerite Kelly & Elia Parsons (Doubleday)
In a covered pot, and using no salt or spices, combine:
1 cup water
1 chicken breast
1/4 cup rice
Simmer 20 minutes and add:
3 whole carrots
1/4 pound green beans
Simmer 10 minutes longer.
For Babies 6-12 months
Blend or process the meat with enough of the cooking broth to make it moist. Mash the carrots and then the beans Store separately in individual servings in the freezer sealed in plastic sandwich bags, or in a plastic ice-cube tray, which must be bagged and tied. Defrost a meal at breakfast, so it's ready to heat for lunch. As your child gets a few months older and can chew better, you can grate these ingredients instead of blending them and you can use your leftovers, too.
For 8 to12 month-olds or omit raisins for younger children
In microwave oven, cook sweet potato at 100 % for 5 minutes, or longer if it is very big. Prick the skin before cooking. Carefully remove the meat of the potato. In a bowl, mix in the carrot and yogurt, then the egg; blend until smooth. Add the raisins and nutmeg sprinkle if you are using them. If the mixture appears dry, add another tablespoon yogurt. Cook at 100 percent, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Stir, cook 1 1/2 minutes more. Let rest 2 to 3 minutes. This tastes best if served as soon as it cools. Serve with a dollop of cold yogurt.
Yields 2 cups.

Baby Fruits

A variety of fruits (pears and apples are good)
Cut each fruit into quarters, then put into a bowl and cover to microwave for about 4 minutes. Chop fruit with an electric blender or chopper.
You can use immediately or store by freezing in ice cube trays. When frozen, pop the fruit cubes out of the trays and transfer to freezer bags to store in freezer.
These fruit cubes are convenient for dessert or for mixing with baby's cereal.

Baby Jigglers

This serves one baby for days.
1 envelope unflavored gelatine
1 cup hot milk or soy milk
4 ounces cream cheese
2 cups of any combination of the following:
Shredded cooked zucchini, squash, onions, eggplant,
carrots, green beans, peas, or any other vegetable;
chopped cooked apples, pears, peaches, apricots,
mangoes, plums, berries, or any other fruit
Salt and/or granulated sugar, to taste
2 teaspoons lemon juice, if desired In a blender or food processor process the gelatine and milk for 30 seconds.

Add the cream cheese and lemon juice (if using) and process for 10 seconds. Add the fruits and/or vegetables and blend until thoroughly puréed. Don't over process or this will become foamy. Pour into an 8-inch square or loaf pan and chill until firm. Cut into squares and serve.