Chili!

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion
2 cans (14 oz each) beans in tomato sauce
1 can (23 oz or 680 ml) tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/8 cup brown sugar
3 stalks celery
2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In a large saucepan, brown ground beef and onion on medium heat until no longer pink.  Drain.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Cook until boiling, stirring often.  Simmer on low until celery is soft.

Toddler First Foods Links

1-2 years

Feed 3 meals and 3 snacks
• Breast milk or whole milk
• Examples of child-size servings:
Grain Products—5 or more per day
½ to 1 slice bread or piece of bannock
15 to 30 g cold cereal
75 to 175 mL hot cereal
¼ to ½ bagel, pita, bun, chapatti, or tortilla
50 to 125 mL cooked pasta, rice, or congee (rice porridge)
4 to 8 soda crackers
Vegetables and Fruit—5 or more per day
½ to 1 medium-sized vegetable or fruit
50 to 125 mL vegetables or fruit
125 to 250 mL chopped salad
50 to 125 mL juice
Milk Products—2 to 3 per day
500 mL milk or 2 servings (offered in small portions)
25 to 50 g pasteurized cheese
75 to 175 g yogurt
Meat and Alternatives—2 to 3 per day
25 to 50 mL meat, fish, or poultry
1 egg
25 to 125 mL beans or lentils
50 to 100 g tofu

Taken from Toddler’s First Steps (page 47-48). Foods they shouldn’t eat on page 51. First foods ideas on page 52, and below:

Cool Ideas in a Bowl
• cold cereal with whole milk
• “oat rings” cereal and dried fruit pieces
• yogurt mixed with pieces of fruit or applesauce
• yogurt with crackers or roti
• fresh fruit pieces and yogurt for dipping
• rice and raisin pudding with milk
• soft tofu pudding

Cool Ideas on a Plate
• sandwiches made with egg salad, tuna salad,
chicken salad, sliced tender meat, sliced or
grated cheese
• cheese strips or small cubes (any kind) with
whole grain bread or crackers or slices of
apple or pear
• small muffins and orange wedges
• crackers or rice cakes thinly spread with
cottage cheese or mashed avocado
• carrot or pumpkin bread thinly spread with
cream cheese
• buttered toast spread with fruit purée

Hot Ideas
• hot cereal or congee (rice porridge) with
whole milk
• bite-size pancakes or waffles topped with
applesauce or other fruit
• soup made with milk; vegetable soup;
split pea, lentil, or bean soup; fish chowder
and bread sticks
• macaroni and cheese
• mini omelettes
• spaghetti with tomato or meat sauce
• meatballs with large noodles with an
interesting shape
• pizza with lots of cheese
• soft tortillas or roti filled with beans or meat
or eggs
• fish served in a bun
• baked beans and toast strips
• rice and meat with vegetables
• mild chili or lentils and rice

More Vegetable and Fruit Ideas
• soft, raw, or cooked vegetables with dip
or hummus
• milk or yogurt shakes blended with fruit
• tomato or mixed vegetable juice
• grated carrots, beets, or cabbage in salad
• fresh fruit cut into wedges, with seeds and
tough peels removed—apples, banana, berries,
kiwi, melon, peaches, pears, plums
• cooked broccoli or cauliflower “trees” in
mashed potatoes

The Toddler’s First Steps is probably the best online resource I’ve found yet for toddler nutrition.  Go and check it out!  Nutrition stuff starts on page 45.

Egg salad sandwiches

5 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
dash curry powder
pinch salt
pinch black pepper

In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.  Use for sandwiches or serve filling on it’s own.

Crumble topping

3 cups oats
2/3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp maple extract

1/2 cup margarine

Mix first bunch of ingredients together.  Add margarine.

Place on top of 3 lbs fruit mixed with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp corn starch.

Colorful Veggie Bake

2 pkgs (16 oz each) frozen California-blend vegetables
8 oz processed cheese (Velveeta), cubed
6 tbsp butter or margarine, divided
1/2 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 13 crackers)

Prepare vegetables according to package directions; drain.  Place half in an ungreased 11-in x 7-in x 2-in baking dish.  In a small saucepan, combine cheese and 4 tbsp butter; cook and stir over low heat until melted.  Pour half over vegetables.  Repeat layers.

Melt the remaining butter; toss with cracker crumbs.  Sprinkle over top.  Bake, uncovered, at 325 for 20-25 minutes of until golden brown.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Twin Meat Loaves

3 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup milk
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbsp Worcestershire’s sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp pepper

2 lbs ground beef
1/4  cup BBQ sauce

Mix first group of ingredients.  Add ground beef.  Put into two loaf pans.

Bake at 350 for 1 - 1 1/2 hours (depending on your oven).  At the half way mark, add BBQ sauce to top of each meatloaf.

Black Forest Dream Dessert

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 carton (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups cold milk
2 packages (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding mix
chocolate curls, optional

1. In a bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly.  Stir in coconut and walnuts.  Press into an ungreased 13-in x 9-in x 2-in baking dish.  Bake at 350 F for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool ona wire rack.
2. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add confectioners’ sugar; beat until smooth.  Fold in 1 cup whipped topping.  Spread over crust.  Top with pie filling; cover and chill.
3. In a microwave bowl, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth.  In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes or until soft-set.  Whisk a small amount of pudding into melted chocolate.  Return all to pudding, whisking constantly.  Pour over cherry pie filling.  Chill for 2 hours or until set.

Just before serving, spread remaining whipped topping over dessert.  Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.

Yield: 12 servings

Layered Summertime Salad

2 cups uncooked gemelli or spiral pasta
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup sliced green onion
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled, divided
4 cups torn romaine
1 cup fresh snow peas
1 cup fresh cauliflowerets
1 cup fresh broccoli florets
1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the maonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, and garlic powder; set aside.
2. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; toss with onions and half of bacon.
3. In a large bowl, layer half of the romaine, pasta mixture, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, red pepper, mayonnaise mixture, and cheese.  Repeat layers.  Sprinkle with remaining bacon.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Yield: 16 servings

**This is a family favorite**

The Best Sweet & Sour Meatballs

2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tbsp corn starch
1 cup water
salt to taste

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Heat to boil, stir until thickened.
3. Pour sauce over meatballs.
4. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Rice Pudding

2 cups cooked rice
2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
raisins

1. Heat milk and sugar on medium heat until warm.  (do not boil)
2. Beat eggs in mixing bowl.  Slowly add milk mixture.
3. Add rice and vanilla.
4. Add as many raisins as you’d like.
5. Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish.  Place casserole dish inside 8×11 pan to prevent spillage in your oven.
6. Bake for 30-45 minutes, stirring half way through.