Stage 3: Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Mac & cheese. Can I get a big, fat “Mmmmmm,” people? A food group in my world. I could eat it every day. No, not exaggerating. And I’m not a snob about it- a box of Kraft with the fake powdered cheese is fine by me! Ugh, I’m so going to gain 20 pounds once Grey becomes a toddler. This is a healthier version. My thinking was that I could also test-drive him allergy-wise as it has a small amount of a bunch of things that could potentially be a problem. Yippeeeeeeeeee! He had no reaction, other than a wide open mouth. (me, too!)

PREP:

I defrosted 1/2 cup of the butternut squash I’d made before. (see the Stewee recipe for cooking instructions). Cook 3/4 cup of small pasta- the stars (aka stelline) are the perfect size for tiny mouths, but orzo is also a good one. Drain and set aside. Make a roue by whisking a 1/2 TBS butter and 1/2 TBS flour in a medium size pot or pan. Slowly add a little over a 1/4 cup of milk, constantly stirring until it’s smooth and a little thick. Add the squash, then one TBS of cream cheese and a palmful of shredded monterey jack cheese. I added a little salt and pepper as well.

BLENDING:

Can you call it blending??? Add the pasta to the sauce and mix thoroughly.

STORAGE:

This made a HUGE amount (almost 2 cups), so I’m feeding Grey three-ounce servings. He loves it, so why not? You’ll have enough for yourself too! Enjoy!

Stage 2: Nectarine & Cantaloupe

Funny, I was complaining that I had no clue on how to tell if a melon is ripe, but it turns out hubby knows. If the melon sounds hollow when you knock on it, apparently it’s good to go. I have to say, it was delicious! Grey loved this one. Probably because it was good & sweet. I loved it because it was super easy to make, and sometimes I’m feeling too lazy to cook. Especially if I haven’t had my coffee.

PREP:

I used 1/8 of a cantaloupe and one nectarine, which I had peeled & chopped.

BLENDING:

Pulse in a food processor. The juices will make this one pretty thin.

STORAGE:

This was more or less another one-off, but the nectarines didn’t brown when stored overnight.

On an added note, over the next few days, I cut the cantaloupe into smaller bits and fed Grey. He actually chewed it! I was feeling emboldened enough to try him on chopped nectarine, and lo’ & behold, he ate that too. There is hope for him yet!