Apple Puff Pancake (Pannekuchen)

When I think of weekend breakfasts growing up, I think of Pannekuchen. It is fairly simple and it is delicious. Plus it is fun to watch bake! 

https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/recipes/snack/tangy-apple-slices/

Apple Puff Pancake (Pannekuchen)

Cook Time: 25 mins                     Serves: 4

Preheat oven to: 400℉

Ingredients

• 1 apple
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 c flour
• 3/4 c milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp margarine or butter

Optional Toppings:

• Whipped Cream
• Maple Syrup

Instructions

• Slice and peel apple, mix with cinnamon and sugar. 
• Preheat oven to 400° and warm a 12" skillet in oven. (Covering handle with foil if necessary).
• Beat eggs till frothy. Do not over beat. 
• Add flour, milk and salt to eggs. Beat for 1 minute.
• Remove skillet from oven and add 3 Tbsp margarine. Place apple slices in pan and pour batter over all. 
• Bake 25 mins. Don't open oven door. Pastry should poof up like a giant bubble!

Serve with whipped cream, maple syrup, or any other toppings you'd like! 

Variations

• We like a lot of fruit so we usually do more than 1 apple
• We also love to do berries! Blackberries and raspberries are a good mix. (We still cover them in cinnamon and sugar)
• Really, you could make this any flavor you'd like! 

Easy Crockpot Taco Soup

This is by far my favorite meal to share with others because it is SO easy to make, it makes a lot, and it tastes good! I will share the original recipe as well as all the changes I tend to make. Can be vegetarian or not. 

Technically called Taco Soup, but we typically call it Chili. Bonus, I think the original recipe is from Weight Watchers (?) so it has to be somewhat healthy! That said, I do buy any kind of bean I can that is Low Sodium. 

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Crock-Pot-6-Qt-Programmable-Stainless-Steel-Slow-Cooker-with-Locking-Lid-SCCPVL610-S/204269978

Easy Crockpot Taco Soup

Cook Time: 4 hours on high, 6-8 hours on low, (2+ hours for kettle)

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean hamburger , add some chopped onion if desired
• 1 can corn, don't drain
• 1 can black beans, don't drain
• 1 can pinto beans, don't drain
• 1 can chopped tomatoes, don't drain
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 can kidney beans, DRAIN
• 1 package dry taco seasoning mix
• 1 package dry ranch dressing

Optional Toppings

• shredded cheese
• sour cream
• crackers or taco strips

Instructions

• Brown hamburger, drain any excess fat, place in 5qt Crockpot (or large kettle hours).
• Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil and simmer till hot. 
• Serve with cheese, sour cream, crackers or taco strips

Variations

• We make this both with and without meat, depending on how much time and effort we want to put into it. Honestly, I prefer it without the meat. 
• You can also do shredded chicken instead of hamburger.
• Sometimes we add an extra can of beans, especially if we are not adding the hamburger. I recommend chili beans. 
• I don't like tomatoes, so we actually skip the can of chopped tomatoes and just add the Rotel. 
• We like to buy the taco seasoning and the Rotel tomatoes in the spiciest flavor to give it a little kick. We have also added a can of jalapeno peppers. 
• We have added cubed sweet potatoes. 

When to feed Baby solids?

I am recent new Mama and I am absolutely loving it. I also have no idea what I am doing haha. Because of this I have been reading and researching every decision to an extreme. That said, when my husband joking said I should create a PowerPoint and present to him my ideas, I actually did it. This post is the information from that PowerPoint. I figured I would share my research so you may not need to do so much. 

Some Background

Our baby was born 5 weeks early and spent 20 days in the NICU. He is currently 20 weeks old (or a week out from 5 months for those who don't want to do the math). At his 4 month check up, our Doctor said we could start thinking about feeding him solid foods, (with the additional consideration of him being early, to maybe wait a little longer). I panicked, because HOW DID MY BABY GET THIS OLD???? 😭 I had been thinking of feeding started at 6 months, so I started looking things up.

What is Baby-Led Feeding?

•  Baby-led weaning is a feeding method recently popularized in the United Kingdom that encourages skipping purees altogether

•  Baby-led feeding is a more flexible, practical approach. This allows for solid foods and baby purees in tandem. 

Key Points of Baby-Led Feeding

• Baby-led! Either way, you want baby to drive. He decides how much he wants to eat. Helps promote healthy eating habits and prevent overeating

• Promotes Oral Motor Development and Fine Motor Development (Reaching and Grasping)

• Is a Sensory Experience

• Baby is learning about textures, smells, tastes, etc. Squishing food. Becoming familiar with food

• Helps reduce the risk for picky eating behaviors.

• Greater exposure to a variety of food

• Creates Family Time & Ritual

• Baby joins in on Family Meals

• Less stress by not having to make baby a separate meal

When to start your baby on Solids?

• World Health Organization, American Academy of Pediatrics and others state babies should be exclusively Breastfed until 6 months of age. (Please note: I only did research on breastfeeding, because I am able and chose to do so. If your baby is formula fed- great! Fed is Best but, this will likely hold different weight for you.) 

• Baby needs to be able to hold head up to help prevent choking

• Baby needs to be able to sit with assistance at a minimum, being able to sit up in their highchair is better. (Can add rolled towels to aid)

• Preemie babies need more time in general. May not have developed the needed mature swallow pattern & tongue movements.

Why delay till 6 months?

• Greater protection from illness via Breastmilk. Greatest immunity occurs while a baby is exclusively Breastfed.

• Baby’s digestive system will have time to mature.

• I have read mixed things on this for timing: 4 months vs. 6 months.

• Will help keep mom’s milk supply up.

Why start solids earlier than 6 months?

Pros

• We are at home now, so it would be easier to fit a Family Meal time into our schedule (I am writing this in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic).

• Adding extra eating could help him gain weight.

• Adds potential allergens into diet earlier.

Cons

• Disregards the recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding till 6 mo.

• May not be developmentally ready since Preemie.

Baby Cereal

Pros

• Easy to learn to eat

• Can mix in PBpowder easily

• Often fortified with Nutrients babies need

Cons

• BLAND- baby may not want to eat

• Can’t feed self

• Slow process to introduce new foods if waiting 3 days between each ingredient

Here were my conclusions

• After researching, a Mixed approach seems to be highly recommended. This means offering purees and finger foods (at 6 mo.+) in tandem.

• I am fine to start with the cereal first. This was the brand I bought. 

• Once he gets the hang of “eating” I would then like to add in the PB powder, before moving on to purees. (see Resources for more information on handling common allergens).

• I would like to try to make our own purees.

• I am still unsure on the timing. I FOR SURE want to wait until he is at least 5 mo. (since he was a preemie).

How-To Tips

• It is recommended to have mealtime in the morning so you can watch baby through the day for signs of allergic reactions.

• Wash your baby’s hands before mealtime.

• Use 2 spoons: One you feed with, one for baby to hold

• Helps baby learn how to hold spoon & relate spoon with food

• Finger foods should be cut into adult-pinky size shapes & cooked till soft enough to easily squish between fingers.

• Easy for baby to grab.

• Helps prevent choking.

• Pay attention to baby’s hunger cues. Remember, this is Baby-led!

For sure No-No's

• No Honey, Cow’s Milk till 1 year.

• Recommended No Juice till 1 year.

• Added sugar is not great- stick with real fruits!

• No added sugar or salt.

• Don’t place finger foods in babies mouth.

• Let him figure it out.

• Can help by handing it to him or moving it closer.

• Don’t force “Just One More Bite”

• Breastmilk remains the main source of feeding and nutrition for 1st year of life

Gagging vs. Choking

• Babies have a very shallow gag reflex that moves further back the older they get. Especially with finger foods, babies are going to gag. It is important to know what gagging vs. choking is so that you can help when it is needed, but let them learn and explore when it is not.

• Excessive gagging or vomiting may be a sign that baby is not ready for solids yet. Try again in a week.

• While gagging is often accompanied by a coughing or retching sound, choking is almost always silent. A choking baby may only cough or cry weakly. Some signs of choking include flapping or waving hands, staring with an open mouth, clutching the throat, and lips and under-eye areas turning blue.

• BEFORE any type of feeding, learn infant and child first aid and CPR.

The things that I still have not determined, (and think are a household by household decision- my decision may not be the best decision for your family!) are:

• When to start feeding?

• What route for foods?

• Many of the baby-led books have recipes that include multiple ingredients including spices etc.

• How does testing for allergens play into this?

• If we wait 3 days for EVERY new food, he won’t be eating normally FOREVER

While doing this research, I came upon another concept so this is my next decision to make! 

Using an Open Cup vs. a Sippy cup.

• Sippy cups are not developmental aids, they were simply developed to prevent mess

• Causes tooth decay

• May hinder oral motor skills

• Open cups help baby learn how to drink & hold a cup!

• This silicone cup is designed for babies

• Have a designated spot on the high chair where the cup goes. Teach baby to put the cup there and you'll be wiping up fewer spills during this learning curve!

• Option to have coffee-style lid

• I’m not sure if the Munchkin brand “Trainer” style cups count or not.

• Cups with short straws can also be considered. Visit the Parents.com article in Resources for tips on how to teach baby to suck from a straw.

Resources and Further Reading:

• Raising a Healthy, Happy Eater by Nimali Fernando

• Baby-Led Feeding by Jenna Helwig

• https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/healthy-baby/art-20046200

• https://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/delay-solids/

• Littlefoodie.org

• Ready-To-Wean PDF

• https://www.parents.com/baby/feeding/center/why-you-may-want-to-skip-the-sippy-cup-for-your-baby/

Spell to move a Fairy's Home

The Ash Tree Fairy 

https://flowerfairies.com/ash-tree-fairy/

We have a lovely big tree in our backyard that has a naturally made door shape in the base of the tree. Every year mushrooms grow under the shade of this tree (a sign of Fairy life). This year the city told us that we needed to cut the tree down due to disease. :( I am very sad about this, not to mention our dog, the squirrels and other beings that live in the tree.

I do not want to abruptly make the fairies and spirits who live in this tree homeless, so I came up with a spell to perform to encourage them to move before we cut the tree down and plan to perform it this weekend. I am going to give the fairies two choices for moving. We have another tree in the front yard, and I also had created a fairy home a few years ago that I will put in my garden. Hopefully this will encourage the fairies to move and not be injured with the loss of the tree.

For more information on offerings: https://tesswhitehurst.com/9-delightful-things-you-can-leave-as-fairy-offerings/

Spell to move a Fairy’s Home

For use if you need to encourage Fairies to move from one home to another.

You will need:

~Candle (preferable white)

~Lavender & Glitter mixed together

~Chime or Bell

~Offering for the Fairies*

~You will want to have a new home to encourage them to move into, or a temporary home.

Mix Lavender and Glitter together. You will want to prep this mixture ahead of time. The amount will vary depending on how far a path you are creating to their new home.

Under the moonlight, light a candle. Sit on the ground in front of the old home you are moving them from. Place the candle in between you are the home. Ring a chime or bell 3 times to call their attention.

Recite the following:

O spirits of the earth and trees, spirits of the moon and sea,

O spirits of the air and sky, spirits of the day and nigh,

O spirits of the fire’s burn, come to me now, the tide is turn’d.

Thank you for protecting this insert home you are moving them from,

Thank you insert home you are moving them from, for providing a home.

The time is come, ‘tis time to roam.

I offer you this path away, to help you find a new home to stay.

Bow forward then leave an offering for the fairies at the base of the home you are moving them from. Stand up and begin to leave a trail of the glitter & lavender mixture leading away from the old home to the new home, carrying the candle with you.  Once you reach the new home, bow again and blow the candle out.

*Examples of offerings include:

~Beer of Champagne in a Walnut Shell

~Organic Berries

~Birdseed

~Crystals

~Organic Rose Petals 

~Wildflower Seeds

~Blessed Water

~Organic Mushrooms

~Shiny Nickels or Dimes

Paper Mache Deer Antlers

This project started with my halloween costume two years ago, I was a fox. You know, that year when "What Does The Fox Say" was big? I crafted a felt mask and a tail out of tulle. Because it turned out so awesome I wanted to turn it into a photo shoot. So I made a mask and a tail for a rabbit costume. Then I took my friend to the woods for a photo shoot! 

I loved how these turned out, but it didn't yet feel complete. So I decided a deer would make a good third. 

I made a felt mask for it but since deers don't really have a tail, I decided on Paper Mache Deer Antlers!

To start, I took jewelry wire and formed the shapes of what I wanted my antlers to look like. To give them a little more substance, I wrapped masking tape around the wire till it had the desired thickness, adding a little more mass to the bottom areas. 

The next step was the paper mache!! For this I used 1/2 cup flour, 3/4 cup water, some salt to prevent molding, and 2 Tbsp of glue for added strength. The last two ingredients are optional. Then I just dipped strips of newspaper in the mixture and wrapped it around. The better you get the dripping mixture off of the newspaper strip, the faster it will dry. 

I waited a full day before moving on to be sure the paper mache was fully dry. Then it was on to painting! I decided to paint mine mostly earth tones but spice it up a bit with glitter and a hint of bright blue. Since my photos are in black and white, the blue wont show up but I think it is fun! I used Martha Stewart multi-purpose craft paint in Vanilla Bean and Root Beer Float.

I used what I had on hand so the blue paint is actually Crayola paint, and I highly suggest not using this! It was not great for covering what was beneath it. The glitter was just generic craft glitter. To apply, paint the main color(s) first and let dry. Add stripes of either clear or the same color paint to where you want the glitter to go and while it is still wet, glitter away! 

Because I needed these to be wearable, you can see I left some extra wire at the bottoms of the antlers so I could attach them to a headband. In retrospect, I think I made my antlers a little too big. They are a little too heavy to wear for long. But here is the finished product:

I cannot wait to go out and take my final photo for this series!!