DAY 27 - LAST DAY

Sorry - this is a long one.
Hi Everyone. Well- Home-school is in full swing again, and the summer has flown by. Today will be my LAST post. I have done 27 days worth of experiments, and about 30 recipes. Being that I do not enjoy cooking all that much, I have still learned a ton! I have learned which gadgets are helpful, and which are not. I have learned certain shortcuts, where to get produce for really cheap, and most of all - I have learned to change recipes. Some were to taste, or just because I didn't have a certain ingredient. Most of my recipes I decided to try were because I happened to have most of the ingredients on hand. Sometimes, the ones I changed turned out great. Some of them - not so much. I guess that is what the discovery is all about.

After my last post, I dried garbanzo beans, and ground them up hoping to make bread with them as the flour. But I guess they weren’t dried enough, because they went rancid before I used them. So I just made white bread with Cauliflower again. Mmmm. Rave reviews for all who tried it. Also, I whipped up a little more garbanzo bean paste, and tried just a tiny bit again mixed with PB, on a sandwich w/ honey for Bailey... He didn’t go for it.

Last week, we bought a tube of pre-made Nestle Toolhouse cookie dough. We get this occasionally so we can make about 6 at a time in the toaster oven.  SO I made some, and gave Bailey one. He took one eagerly, and said “Wait – what’s in this?” I was pleased to say, “Nothing- it’s straight from the package!”

I have also ruined myself (in a good way) by not being able to make Mac & Cheese w/out adding pureed Butternut squash to it. The Cheesiness totally covers up the squash flavor! Also, I will never again eat spaghetti sauce straight from the jar, without adding a ton of veggies to it. My kids love this! And always ask for extra sauce. Add this to garlic bread, and it is a huge treat!

The other day, Bailey was looking through pictures again, and pointed to the Boboli pizza with my “special sauce” (carrots added to spaghetti sauce), and said – I wish we could have that again!

Today – I made Reese some pink Pancakes. Bailey doesn’t like pancakes, and was happy with a PB and honey sandwich (no garbanzo beans). I offered him some pancakes anyway, and he politely said “No, thank-you”. So I left it at that.

The pancakes turned out great! They were light and fluffy, and they really were Pink! The hidden ingredients are Beets and Apples. Now- If you ask me, Beets taste like DIRT! I would NEVER have tried this otherwise. But the recipe called for ½ of what I pureed, so I saved the rest to make these again. Also the apples weren’t pureed, they were just grated. Do you know how hard it is to grate an apple?? Let me just tell you, it’s hard! You’d think because an apple is so crisp and crunchy, it would be easy. But the juice squeezes out, and it gets mushy and slippery all at the same time. So needless to say, I wasn’t looking forward to trying these, but the apples softened, and the beet taste just disappeared. These were super yummy with butter & Maple syrup. For Reese’s, I used some letter cookie cutters and made them say REESE. She was super excited – and I was willing to go through a little more effort, since this is my last post. It turned out really cute! For her reaction – she wasn’t feeling good this morning. She ate the R and said it was good. Maybe she’ll try the rest later. If not, I’m sure we can find someone to finish them… J See the pictures below!

Some things I made in this “mission” were big flat flops. Some things certain people liked, and others hated (amazingly enough, Bailey wasn’t ALWAYS the hater). But I am glad I did this experiment, because I learned A LOT! Now that I am done,  I encourage you to try to add things to your recipes that you never thought to. Pureed veggies can be amazing, when they just blend in. Who ever thought that Brownies would be so tasty when there are carrots and spinach baked into them?? You never know how sneaky you can be when your kids (or others) aren’t watching… DECEPTION IS DELICIOUS! I know because I DISCOVERED IT FOR MYSELF!!!

Day 26: Peanut Butter & Honey Sandwich

So - here I am again. We start homeschooling on Monday, so I didn't realized how fast summer has gone. A majority of this summer has been spent nursing the sick family back to health. Once someone is better, someone else has come down with something. Technically, Summer is not really over until Mid-September, right? So I have a few weeks to go.
To ease back into it, I decided to do something easy - definitely NOT from the book. I think I am pretty much trying new things, and more trying to add things to stuff he WILL eat. Not a HUGE majority, but still more than when we started. It still surprises me that Green (Spinach) Eggs were a hit. Today, I cooked & Pureed some Garbanzo beans. I figured Beans were a good choice  (Vegetable, Protein, Carb all in one). I pureed it best I could into a Paste, when mixed with Water. I offered Bailey a PBH sandwich, which he gladly accepted. I just didn't tell him I had mixed the PB with Garbanzo Beans Paste. I tasted it myself first. Luckily, PB has a strong taste to mask other flavors. I just tasted like Thick PB. You couldn't taste the beans at all. But Bailey is not always about taste, he is also sensitive to texture. However, I served it to it, and I left the room. I didn't watch him, expecting a reaction, I didn't tell him it was any different from any other PBH sandwich I had ever given him. I just gave it to him, and left. He never said anything, until he was about 3/4 done. Then, he didn't say it was gross, didn't say anything except - for "I can't eat anymore". I didn't ask why - I just took it and threw the rest away. It could be that he was just FULL, not that it was gross/too thick. That is a lot of protein right there. I will definitely be trying this again, maybe just not so thick.
Sorry no picture today.

COMING UP:
I am in the process of drying Garbanzo beans, and I will be grinding them up in a coffee bean grinder to make some flour. Then I will make some bread with it. I am anxious to see how it turns out. We'll see. Stay tuned!

it's been a while...

Sorry to all of my readers... it's been a while. A few weeks actually. We've had a few rough weeks here at home, and on top of that we have ALL been sick, and still are in fact. A lot of people we know have been sick. I think it's just that time of year.
I have not quit... I've just been trying to decide what to do next. To be honest, I don't want to make some of the things in the book, because well to be blunt - they look kind of gross. I mean - there are certain things you can hide veggies in - and there are certain things you cannot! I might have to tweak things a little. Let's be honest with ourselves - kids are not stupid! I will try, but now Bailey knows that I hide veggies in things. Being that he didn't freak out gave me a LITTLE confidence, but we will see. Stay tuned - I am back in business as soon as everyone is healthy again! Hopefully by next week. Thanks for your patience!

Day 25: Buttered Noodles & Aloha Chicken Kabobs

Is it bad that my children cry when I make them food? Is it worse that I laugh at them for crying??
...I think I laugh to keep from crying myself.
Today I made buttered noodles - by far the easiest thing in the book to date. Is just like what it sounds. Buttered noodles, with a little milk, Parmesan cheese, and salt - oh yeah -and Yellow Squash puree. I made it with Tri-colored Rotini to give it a little color. Reese refused to try this, and Bailey chose to try some green pieces, and promptly gagged/threw them up. Okay- it didn't help that he was watching Zaboomafoo, and there was a creature eating little green worms... oh well. To be honest, I thought it was a little bland too!
I also Made Aloha Chicken Kabobs. These have shredded coconut, pureed Pineapple, and Pureed sweet potato. So you'd think these were sweet - but they weren't really. Unfortunately, I didn't have any raw chicken, so I had to used pre-cooked chicken. It didn't stay too well on the skewers, and it turned out a little dryer than I would have liked. And I didn't have any egg, so the coating didn't stick as well either. The recipe directions said to fry them, but learned from the chicken nuggets that baking works much better - so I baked them in the toaster oven so the house wouldn't heat up too bad. Bailey had a hard time trying the chicken, and Reese tried 1 bite. We agreed she could have pineapple instead, but cried when the pineapple touched the chicken bread crumbs. I had to wipe them off. Seriously?? Oh well - on to the the next thing...

DAY 24: Brownies, Banana Bread & Chocolate/Peanut Butter Dip

I'm baaaaaaack! I had a birthday, went out of town, and got really sick - one promptly after another! So- now, that I am healthy- I am back, and in the kitchen once again.
Let me fill you in on the taste test in Pasadena. I made Brownies, Banana Bread & Chocolate/Peanut Butter Dip. I made plenty of food the week before, and packaged it up all pretty. Then my daughter decided to get sick... so- I froze all the food - luckily, it saved well. I just had to get some new apples for the Choc/PB dip. I also brought the white bread from the night before, and the Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The game we played was: Guess the vegetable that is hidden in it?
Brownies: Spinach & CarrotsBanana Bread: Bananas & CauliflowerChoc/PB dip: CarrotsWhite Bread: CauliflowerChoc Chip Cookies: Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)I must have had 25-30 people try everything, and they were thoroughly amazed! It was fantastic - Talk about my ego being boosted! People asking for the recipes, people asking if I was gonna start a bakery? To my surprise, the one that got the most comments was the Banana Bread. I was a little hesitant to let people try that one because I'm not sure if it cooked all the way, it was really soft, then it got kinda mashed in the freezing process, but wow- did it get good reviews. Many people came back for seconds (and thirds) on that one. Just affirms my diagnosis:  My kids ARE crazy.

The weirdest question of the night: What’s in the apples? Ummm… Apples. Not a trick, folks – these are ACTUAL apples!
Bailey was helping me tell people what was hidden in it. So now- he knows it is vegetables I am hiding in these things. He wasn't even grossed out when I confessed it was "Spinach" that colored his green eggs. He is okay with this. So now- AFTER he tries the food, he will be told what vegetable is in it.
The only bad review I got in Pasadena, was from my own mom, who didn't like the white bread. She said it just tasted a little weird. That's okay - maybe my kids get their taste buds from her. Also, a guy that was visiting from Arkansas tried everything, but said NOT to tell him what was in it. He DID NOT want to know. I asked him a few days later if he wanted to know (now that it was out of his system), and he said - No, you NEVER have to tell me. Okay... whatever...


Brownies



Banana Bread



Chocolate/Peanut Butter Dip

 






DAY 23: White Bread

Today - the fun begins... I decided to make something not from the book, and add my own secret ingredient. I made white bread. Because Bailey loves, peanut butter & honey sandwiches, I though this might be a good idea. The recipe made 2 loaves, and I added a total of a 1/2 cup of cauliflower in them (1/4 cup cauliflower in each loaf). Since this recipe was not in the book, I had to be careful (trial/error) - I didn't want to push it. Maybe in the future, I can add more cauliflower. I have never made bread from scratch before, but I have bought the frozen bridgeford bread loaves. Bailey liked that bread with butter. To my pleasant surprise, this turned out beautifully. At first, when it was warm, it was kind of crumbly and soft, so it didn't make good slices. But it was still good with Butter. Bailey ate a piece with no complaining, but didn't want anymore. When it cooled a little more (and I changed knives), it cut better slices, so I sliced him a half of a piece & added butter and cinnamon/sugar, and made him eat it. He did so with no complaining. If I am brave enough tomorrow, and I can make nice slices, I will make him eat a PB/Honey sandwich with it. Even if he doesn't like this, I'd say today was alright! I have 2 loaves of homemade bread!!! YUM!

DAY 22: Chocolate Chip Cookies (without the oats)

I decided to give it another go with the Chocolate Chip Cookies. I also decided to leave out the oats this time. Unfortunately, before I made them, Bailey begged me to tell him the special ingredient. So I assured him, there were no oats this time, but there is something called "Chickpeas" (Garbanzo Beans). He said he would try 1 bite. He did, and said he could taste the special ingredient. I'm thinking, it was the oats AND garbanzo beans he was tasting last time. Maybe I just didn't grind them up enough. I will have to make them pastier next time. Bailey really love the toll house recipe I make, so he'd like me to make them again sometime. I should add the chickpea paste to that without telling him.  That's when the real fun begins... when I am beginning to hide things in normal food I make, that I know he will eat. I actually loved the way the cookies turned out tonight. I am not a fan of oats myself.
Another special ingredient: If you read Brian's Facebook status tonight, you would know that Reese spit in the batter bowl. She was tasting the beaters, and decided she didn' like it. When I had my back turned, she spit it back in (I think I she realized she shouldn't have done it right as she was doing it, but it was too late). When I caught her, her response was "Sorry - I don't like Chippies" (chickpeas). Don't worry, I got it out quickly, and didn't bake that part.
After Bailey rejected the cookie, I didn't make him finish it. But I did offer him a brownie (with Spinach & carrots). He took a good sized nibble, and wasn't impressed. He doesn't like bready things. No muffins, cakes, etc. He only likes white bread, rolls and donuts. So I wasn't surprised he didn't really like the brownie. Oh well, it was worth a shot... I am trying to think of a way to make my own white. His favorite staple food is peanut Butter & Honey Sandwiches. Hmmm... I will have to get creative on this one. Cauliflower is white... this just might work.

DAY 21: An unexpected Break with some brownies on the side

It's been a few days since I've made anything new. My daughter has had a fever for about 5 days straight. So my attention has been on her. She was really burning up. My hubby didn't even get a proper father's day celebration, because I was so pre-occupied. Oops! I feel really bad about that! My husband is such a great dad - just ask our kids, he deserves the best father's day ever! I managed to have the kids help make a present for Brian's dad for Father's day, but poor Brian kind-of got neglected! Reese is better now, so Maybe I'll have to make some of  Brian's favorite recipes for him... hopefully - that will help make it up!

Anyhow- Last Wednesday, I did make brownies (with spinach & carrots), and banana bread (with cauliflower), and chocolate/peanut butter dip (with carrots) to dip apples in. (It took me 1/2 of the day to make/bake it all)! It was all ready to go in a tray to take with me to Pasadena the next day to have our community there try, and Reese gets a high fever that night. So obviously, I wasn't going anywhere the next day. So it sits in my freezer, waiting for this Thursday. However, we did try some of the brownies. I was careful not to serve them warm. The book warns to serve them cool - otherwise, you can taste the spinach. Wow! I sprinkled some powdered sugar on them - THEY WERE DELICIOUS! I am not a big brownie fan, but man - these were good. I couldn't limit myself to just one! They aren't terribly sweet - maybe that's why I like them. To be honest - they have a lot of fiber in them too - according to the book. I haven't made Bailey try these yet - he is not a fan of brownies... we will see when Thursday rolls around. And I can give you other peoples' opinions as well.

Day 20: Graham Cracker Ice Cream Sandwiches & Pureeing Day

Okay okay, so I went away for the weekend, and took a long break. Actually, we were watching Brian's cousins (ages 15, 13, and 10 - all boys), along with our own 2 kids. I wasn't going to subject them to my experiment, so I just stuck to the plan and made the dinners their mom had planned. So I didn't really take a break from cooking, just from the experiment.
It was a nice break, but by now, I was just itching to start again. It has been 6 days since I had made anything from the book. Last night, after we got home, I made the cauliflower eggs, for dinner. Let's just say I finished what the kids didn't eat (which was quite a bit), plus my own - - Not a big hit.

Today, I made Ice Cream Sandwiches with Graham Crackers. The Ice Cream was the homemade part. I'm not quite sure why this was included in the book, because there were no fruits or veggies in it. The Ice Cream was plain yogurt, Sugar, milk, and it called for lemon juice & lemon zest, but I don't like lemon flavored things, so I left those out, and added vanilla extract instead. Basically, you just mix them all together, and let it freeze for a few hours. Then scoop it into the middle of 2 graham crackers, wrap in wax paper, and freeze for 30 more minutes. Let's face it - the ice cream was bitter! But even though the recipe calls for Graham Crackers, the picture in the book is Cinnamon Graham Crackers. That's the kind I had anyway, so that's what I used. The sweetness of the Cinnamon, counteracted the bitterness of the ice cream - - if you ate them together. My kids both love Cinn. Graham Crackers but neither of them could get over the bitterness of the ice cream. My in-laws liked it, and so did my husband (he had 2).  I thought it was pretty good too. Here is a picture:

I have made so much stuff from the book,  was starting to run low on some of the purees. So today, I bought and pureed, a whole 2 lb butternut squash, 1 2lb cauliflower, a bag of frozen spinach, and a banana. I pureed more carrots about a week ago. Boy was that a lot of work!! It took at least 2 hours. My food processor that I use is actually just a 1 1/2 cup capacity food chopper, That doesn't chop so well. It takes forever, but it makes a nice puree. 

Baby Shower Gift: I have the BEST idea for the next Baby shower Gift I need to get! 1- A food chopper ($10 @ Target), 2- a pack of Zip lock Microwave Steam Bags (That's what I use to steam all my veggies), and 3 - some Ice Cube Trays. Most standard Ice Cubes Spaces in Trays are 1 oz. So if you freeze the purees, you automatically have 1 oz increments.  Then you can freeze any purees you have made (and they stay good for months) in a zip lock bag! It is always cheaper to buy the veggies/fruits and puree them yourself, and they are easy to defrost. Even if you are going somewhere, just stick however many pureed cubes you need, and put it in a zip lock food container! Once it defrosts. you are good to go! It's a BABY FOOD MAKER! This is how I save my purees and freeze them. Since they are each 1 oz already, I just follow the recipe by grabbing however many cubes I need (8 cubes = 1 cup)!

Sorry this post is so long. I will be making 3 things on Thursday and several people in our community will be my taste testers. Will see how it goes - Thanks for sticking with me!

Day 18: Hot Cocoa

Today, I attempted a beverage. I made hot cocoa. It didn't make as much as I wanted, so I made 2 batches. It was interesting. Hot Cocoa would be better on a cold day, but I thought - What the heck! Bailey loves Chocolate milk - even hot to have hot chocolate, so let's give it a shot. Apparently, the familiar taste of chocolate syrup is supposed to mask the taste of the hidden Sweet potato puree. It also has cinnamon in it, and to be honest, it tasted like a mix between, hot chocolate, and liquid pumpkin pie. I was surprised how much the sweet potatoes mixed in. I expected it to be much frothier... My instead, it just had little tiny bits of it (not many though. I know for next time to strain it, to get those little bits out).
I let you guess weather Bailey liked it or not... guess who found the little bits in his cocoa? He took 3 sips (the required amount by me), with a wet paper towel in hand to wipe off the little bits left behind on his tongue. Oh buh- ruh-ther! Seriously - it wasn't that bad! I put marshmallows in mine, and it was actually really good. I think I will make this for the extended family on Christmas eve (Strained this time), with lots of marshmallows available... :)

On a side note, Bailey requested my "Special Recipe" Spaghetti. I added the sauce we had left over to carrots, cauliflower, butternut squash, and sweet potato purees. He was none the wiser, and ate quite a bit. When he asked if he could get up, I said to eat one more bite. He did without complaining. I need to start keeping Pasta and sauce on hand... Deception really is Delicious!

Day 17: Peanut Butter & Banana Muffins

So obviously, I have decided to take breaks here and there. I definitely need them. Thanks for your patience.
Yesterday, I made Peanut Butter Banana Muffins. I wanted Bailey to take 3 bites, and he wanted to only try one. We compromised, and he took 2 (big ones). There was no gagging, but he definitely did NOT like them. I have come to understand, he is just not a muffin kind of guy - some people just aren't.
Reese gobbled her's up. I'd say these were pretty good. Very similar to the first ones I made (Peanut Butter & Jelly/Honey). In fact, Bailey was convinced that's what they were, and said he had tried them before. There was cauliflower puree mixed in this, and it was totally camoflauged by the peanut butter. To be honest, you couldn't even taste the banana. My husband liked it, my niece did NOT like it (Reese finished hers), my nephew, said it was okay. My mother in law liked it, my father in law doesn't like peanut butter, so he didn't have one, and sis in law is allergic to bananas, so she didn't have one. I appreciate everyone being so adventurous, though. So I'd say the consensus was about half and half. It was alright - I think I'll add more banana next time.

Day 16: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread

So- We are back in business! Took a good two day break... it was just what I needed!
Tonight I made Spaghetti. Bailey has had this in the past, but it's never been a favorite. But tonight - it was a hit! I posted a picture of his bowl after he was done (below). He ate at least half, if not more, of what I gave him. I count that as a win! I also served Garlic bread, which he has really taken a liking to lately This was just Store bought garlic bread - no veggies.. The book I am following has 2 different Spaghetti Recipes, but I decided to go my own route. I got Prego sauce at the store. It was called Veggie Blend, and every 1/2 cup of sauce is equal to 1 1/4 servings of vegetables. It was like Marinara sauce with hidden veggies. Then I took some frozen puree's I had, and added 3 oz carrots, 1 oz of cauliflower, and then I had a bag in the fridge of about 2 oz pureed carrots, and also added about 2-3 tablespoons of sweet potato puree I also happened to have. I figured, I better use it before it goes bad. Both of the kids (and Brian & I) loved the spaghetti, and I was so proud of this meal! It was FULL of veggies, and besides all the veggies I happened to have on hand, it only costed me 4.89 for everything. Plus, I still have half of the noodles, uncooked, about 1/4 cup of sauce unused, and about 1/2 of the spaghetti & sauce I cooked, and 1 piece of garlic bread. Frugal too - WIN-WIN!





Bailey's bowl after he was done.



Another little break

Hi everyone- after the last fiasco on Day 15, I needed another break - I'm really starting to burn out. Please pray that I will have patience and strength to continue! I will start again tomorrow with Spaghetti for dinner. We will see... Low expectations! ;)

Day 15: Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, as it turns out - I am the WORST mom in the world - and here is why:
Bailey convinced me to make a dessert tonight - Chocolate Chip cookies. Usually, he loves my homemade cookies. Ya know - the Nestle Toll House recipe?
Have you ever had to negotiate with your child to eat a chocolate chip cookie? I have not... until tonight.
Now is when I CURSE this recipe... okay maybe not curse, but this recipe FAILED... big time! The cookie recipe calls for old fashioned oats - which Bailey won't touch with a ten foot poll. So I ground them up, and mixed them with the flour. Smart, right? Well apparently, I didn't grind them up enough, because Bailey was tasting/feeling them in his mouth, and spitting them into the trash can.
The hidden vegetable in this recipe is garbanzo beans. The recipe didn't say anything about pureeing them, but I steamed them, and at least threw them in the food processor a little to grind them up. Bailey was convinced there was nuts in the cookies, and said they tasted like Peanut Butter... ( I think it was just the oats he was tasting).
The cookies were really very good. Sweet and browned on the outside, moist and chewy on the inside.  My mother-in-law gave me the ultimate compliment and said they tasted like "Junk Cookies" - which are cookies that her other daughter-in-law makes only at Christmas. They are highly coveted, and she won't give out the recipe. So this came close. Reese liked them, and so did my husband and I.
So, after spitting out the oats after each nibble, it took Bailey 3 HOURS to eat one cookie. Boy- was I irritated! I was ready to cuss out someone.  After he told me he didn't feel good, I said I am sorry - now eat your cookie! (I didn't believe him, because that's always his excuse) I was so mean to everyone tonight, and told Bailey he was hurting my feelings, and how I am doing this whole thing for him! He apologized, and got down to the last bite. I left the room, because I had just had it, and there is was - I heard from the next room - a big gag, and he threw up everything in the trash can. My child REALLY didn't feel good, and here I was forcing him to eat a cookie.
Such a pitiful night... and I feel like the worst mom ever!
Not so excited about the deserts now - I have NO IDEA what I am gonna make tomorrow.

Day 14: Macaroni & Cheese

So, what kid doesn't like Mac and Cheese, right? I'll give you a hint - his name starts with B, and rhymes with "ailey". Out of the 8 pieces I told him he had to eat, he ate 4, then proclaimed dramatically. "I just can't take it anymore!!!" Reese was okay, with it, but not a huge fan. I gave it also to my friends and more family to try. They all liked it. The hidden "pureed Cauliflower", and "pureed Butternut squash" blended in beautifully. My sister mentioned it wasn't very cheesy - Maybe that's why I liked it - I think the regular cheese sauce is way too cheesy. Anyway, we have a winner - just not with Bailey and Reese.

I also gave my family some leftover chicken nuggets to try. Rave reviews all around - definitely going to have to do these again!

Update on the pizza: Bailey was looking through my pictures last night, and came across the picture of the pizza. He said, "Can I have some of this?" I warned him that it had "special sauce" on it. He said it was okay, and ate a whole piece with no complaints! Yay!

Day 13: Chicken Nuggets

Today makes 2 weeks since I have started my mission. ( I took one a day break). I have now done 14 out of 76 recipes. Much more Misses than Hits - that's for sure! I am getting tired of the kitchen, but am still staying strong.

Today I made Chicken Nuggets. I planned on giving them to family, coming over, to try. I hadn't realized until I was ready to make them that there is whey (a milk product) in Bread Crumbs, and the recipe also called for Parmesan Cheese, so for my nephew (allergic to milk), I made a special coating (flax seed meal, cornmeal, onion powder, and garlic powder). I felt so proud of myself, and he said they were good. Although other than the one bite he tried, they are still sitting in the fridge, so maybe he was just being nice...

For everyone else, I made the normal bread crumb, etc coating. To make the coating stick, I mixed an egg with sweet potato puree. I decided to bake them as opposed to frying them, so they wouldn't be so greasy. And they turned out so much better than the fried mozzarella sticks (see day 11)! It turns out, the oven is my friend - except for when my belt loop of my pants got hooked onto the door knob behind me, as I was taking the baking sheet out of the oven. My sister in law had to unhook me... :) It was pretty funny.

Anyhow for my kids reactions: Reese LOVED them! That's what she ate for dinner! Bailey however is not a fan of chicken nuggets anyway, so I didn't expect much. He finally ate 1/3 of what I gave him, with only a little gagging, and a full cup of chocolate milk. And it only took about 1 hour this time. (You should have seen the tiny amount he ate - seriously? ONE HOUR? C'mon Already!) As far as the rest of the family - they got the approval! My husband loved them! I might have to do these more often too! I think they are pretty yummy too, and I know EXACTLY what is in them, as opposed to store bought chicken nuggets/dino chickens.

Tomorrow - Mac'n'cheese. In the past, Bailey has hated this. I have a feeling there will be more gagging tomorrow. We shall see!

Day 12: Pizza

So today I made Pizza which is Bailey's favorite food! But I must admit I cheated a little - instead of using whole wheat pita bread, and homemade sauce, I used mini boboli pizza crusts that I already happened to have. It came with sauce packets, so added pureed carrots to the sauce before I spread it on and covered it with Cheese & Pepperoni. I called it my "special sauce" and told Bailey it was not from the book. Truth be told - it's not from the book: the recipe calls for Spinach & homemade sauce w/ Pita Bread. I was afraid after the coffee cake incident (where you could clearly see the vegetables), that it would be best to hide the veggies a little more, and I think the spinach would be obvious. Carrots was a good choice - they were pretty invisible.
Reese ate a few bites, but was more interested in other things. Bailey was excited about the pizza, and said oooo - I want some! He ate a whole piece, but when he heard me say it was "special sauce", he said he didn't like it. I think he would have eaten more if I didn't say anything.
I had left overs, and added tabasco sauce, garlic salt & Parmesan cheese (I do that with pizza normally)... it was super delicious. I might have to make these more often  - YUM! Forget making these for Bailey, I'll just make 'em for ME! :)

Tomorrow, I'm gonna make Chicken Nuggets for some family that is coming over. We are having other stuff too, but I'm gonna have them try them without telling them my tricks... I'll get an honest opinion!

Day 11: Mozzarella Sticks & Ketchup

I thought today would be a winner! After all, what kid doesn't like Ketchup, right? Well, when it's home made - my kids don't. I actually made my own ketchup, and I thought it was pretty good. It tastes & smells like Ketchup, and I even added some real ketchup to it just in case. Got good reviews on it from my husband and Father-in-Law.  But it was kinda thick and had an orange tinge to it (had pureed carrots in it). It looked a lot like Marinara Sauce, so my kids wouldn't touch it. A long time ago, I gave Bailey some ketchup with baby food carrots mixed into it. He NEVER knew the difference. Maybe I'll just stick with that next time.

The mozzarella sticks didn't work great. If went fine until I had to fry them, when most of the coating came off. I think I will bake them next time. Plus, that way, they won't be so greasy. As far as taste of the Mozzarella sticks, they just tasted like Hash browns to me. It makes sense, because it was made with pureed Cauliflower, which turns out looking (and tasting) like Mashed Potatoes, when it is pureed. Bailey loves Hash browns, and enjoys them dipped in Maple Syrup. So I gave him some Maple Syrup to dip them in. He ate his promised 4 bites ... over the course of about TWO HOURS! Reese gobbled hers up, and asked for 2nds, then 3rds, and asked if she could eat Bailey's. So at least I have 1 fan in her. They were actually really easy. I should try it with string cheese, dipped in Cauliflower and the bread crumbs, and baked. I think that might turn out REALLY well.

I'd say my presentation today was better. So far, I haven't been pleased with the presentation aspect of this blog. I just can't get this food to look pretty, or yummy. But today was a little better. At least, it's symmetrical :)

I have some left over Boboli Pizza Crusts/Sauce. Will see how tomorrow goes with Home Made Pizzas... Cross your fingers! Better yet, PRAY!

A day off...

We have had a particularly rough day today - so I decided to take the day off of this "mission". Everything deserves a say off once in a while... I went 10 straight days with out stopping. So Bailey got a break, but I have my next 3 days planned (and they involve home-made ketchup!!) so stay tuned!!

Day 10: Deviled Eggs

Well, at the moment, we have almost more Muffins than we can eat, so my husband asked if we could switch it up at little, and do something other than breakfast.
So, I decided to do Deviled Eggs. Bailey has tried Hard Boiled Eggs before, and with tons of salt, they were okay. But apparently, Deviled Eggs are different. For the filling, I mixed pureed Carrots, and pureed Cauliflower with Egg Yolks and Mayo, and a little salt.
Once again, a big hit... with everyone but Bailey. Reese said, it was really yummy - she loved it. And my nephew even ate one, and loved it! My nephew is allergic to milk, so it's nice he was able to try something new at our house. With Bailey, there was no gagging, but TONS of complaining, crying and stalling. He offered to eat a whole blueberry lemon muffin (a mini one) instead. I added a little butter, and it took the whole glass of chocolate milk, but he got it down. And we have switched the Nestle's Choc milk, to Carnation Instant Breakfast, which has way more nutrients (he hasn't noticed the difference). So all in all, I guess you can say today was a success, just not with the eggs for Bailey. I hope I haven't ruined Hard Boiled eggs for him forever.

On a side note, my sister in law tried the coffee cake from yesterday (an outside piece), and said it was actually really good. I think the outside pieces cooked a little better, not so goopy. Maybe I should try one.

Day 9: Coffee Cake

Well, today was a big flop. I made Coffee Cake with Butternut squash, only it wasn't so hidden. You are supposed to hide the squash between the layers of cake. But it just kind of mixed with the bottom layer and was totally obvious that it was there - I mean, C'mon - It's Bright Orange! It looked so good, and smelled so good... I had Bailey taste a little of the top crispy topping, while it was cooling. He said - I think this is gonna be the thing I like! Then I served it to him, and he said - What's the orange stuff? I said- that's the stuff that makes it healthy, and he said "Well - I am NOT going to eat it!" So he basically ate the topping! I don't blame him though. I ate a half of a piece, and it tasted kinda weird! The squash did not cook into it, so it was just kinda mushy on the bottom. I think it would have been great... without the squash.

Day 8: Lemon Bluberry Muffins

Today, I made Lemon Blueberry Muffins. These turned out GREAT!... according to everyone but Bailey. He even helped me make a little of them. Luckily, I had already added the whole pureed yellow squash, before he started to help me.
I must admit, I feel like quite the budding chef. I am making things before I would never try to make otherwise. I am the type to buy the cake mix at the store for $1, add oil, water and eggs, and wah-lah! I have made a cake... but now, I am making things from scratch - and surprisingly, it's not that hard! I actually "zested" a lemon today... actually 2 of them, because apparently you can use extra lemon zest if you don't have any lemon extract. I don't really like the way lemon flavored things taste (lemon bars, lemon cake, etc), so I couldn't rationalize paying $5 for lemon extract. But - I had to look up on the internet what "zesting" was. Now I know.

I added more than a cup of blueberries, and there were still a few muffins without any blueberries in them. I made some big ones and some mini ones. Bailey opted to try a mini one, with no blueberries. That was fine with me. He had a sandwich not long before dinner, so when we sat down to dinner, he tried his muffin. He was complaining the whole time, and stalling a lot. I kept reminding him to sit down and eat his muffin. After trying a few bites, he said - I'd rather have the green eggs - I liked them! So rather than eating a lemon blueberry muffin with yellow squash, he is eating eggs, with spinach... and he doesn't even know it! WIN!!!

Day 7: French Toast

It's been 1 week now, since I decided to go on this mission. We've had some ups and downs, some surprises, some irony. While Bailey was eating this afternoon (if that's what you call it - taste testing), he asked if I could STOP making new foods for him to try... I said nope- I am on a Mission: Mission still goes on strong.

Today I made French Toast. It took more than a full cup of chocolate milk, but Bailey got 4 bites down... gagging again. It's pretty sad to see your child gagging, but kind of funny at the same time, just because it's so pitiful. I was eating the French toast the same time as he was, so I know it was good. It's not even like it looked like Green Eggs (which I can't get myself to eat the leftovers of, by the way). I also put butter and Maple Syrup on top of the toast! Reese took a few bites, but wasn't really interested, until I told her she could have an Oreo when she finished 2 more bites. The hidden ingredients in the french toast are pureed sweet potatoes, and pureed bananas, along with sprinkled flax seed meal (on the bottom side).

I keep on wondering why Bailey doesn't like certain foods when they are together. He likes Cinnamon, Bread & Eggs. He just doesn't like them together, He likes noodles, and he likes Cheese, but he doesn't like Macaroni & Cheese. Ya know how there are people (not just kids), who don't like their foods touching on the plate? Well, I guess Bailey is one of those people. When ever he has more than one food item at a time, he always wants them in separate bowls, so I should have figured it out by now.

But I will continue. If my calculations are right, I will be done with this mission by the end of the summer. Hopefully, we will have figured a few things out, and we will start off the fall with a fresh new outlook. Thanks to all my readers! The blog is what is keeping me going.

Day 6: Oatmeal

I counted the Recipes - and all together there are 76!  So 6 down - 70 to go!

Okay, let me preface by saying I have never even tried giving Bailey oatmeal before (except for the baby cereal oatmeal). I never thought he'd try it, and I am not a big fan myself, so I thought - why bother? Reese on the other hand loves it! I guess she saw Brian (my hubby) eating it once, and tried some, and has been a fan ever since. After yesterday, when Bailey actually tried the green eggs, I thought that there is no better time than now to introduce Oatmeal.
Again, it was kinda nasty looking, but boy did it smell good! It was old fashioned oats, milk, cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, peanut butter and Sweet Potatoe Puree. It was super delicious- and like I said I am not a big fan of Oatmeal! I put a little Maple Syrup on mine, and put some Maple Syrup in Medicine cup, so the kids could pour on their own. Reese ate almost all of hers. And since I think Oatmeal is an acquired taste, Bailey and I agreed on 2 bites. And...
the gagging continues once again! :) He washed it down with plenty of chocolate milk - and that is the end of that!

Day 5: Green Eggs

After yesterday, I figured we couldn't get much worse - so I'd just go for the worst sounding thing. So I made Green Eggs. Bailey asked me if I was going to make ham too, but I don't think we have any - I wonder if he'd try if if I did...
This is Basically 4 egg whites, 2 eggs (with yolks), and pureed spinach. It looked SO GROSS - I'll spare you the picture of the raw mixture. As gross as they look cooked, they looked so much worse uncooked.
Reese saw me making them, so she wasn't about to try it. When I offered her some (several times), she ran away screaming "no - no!" But Bailey reluctantly tried 4 bites, washed down with his trusty chocolate milk - and no gagging.
During this school year a few months back, he read Green Eggs and Ham (by Dr. Seuss). I made him scrambled eggs with green food coloring. He had a few bites, but wasn't crazy about them. Today he asked what I colored them with - I told him it was food coloring (it just happened to be made of spinach - I left that part out). When I tried them, I put Monterrey Jack Cheese on them. You could still taste the Spinach, but I like Spinach. I think Bailey knew something was up, but he still ate his 4 bites with a smile. There is a picture of him trying them below.

I think we are beginning to be on to something. That is 5 foods, in 5 days he has taken at least 1 bite of! I'm not saying I will ever make these foods again, but he isn't complaining much. He is even trying to convince Reese to try it...

DAY 4: Egg Puffs

So... not as much of a success as yesterday. Reese refused to touch them! Bailey would only agree to one bite. These are Egg Puffs, and they looked so scrumptious in the recipe book, but now I know why it says serve immediately. By the time it cools enough to eat, it sinks down like a biscuit, so they don't look so pretty (as in my picture - see below).
Anyhow, they taste pretty much like the scrambled eggs from yesterday. My husband (bless his heart- he has tried everything too) said they'd be great with Sausage or bacon. I agree - they are a little bland. The hidden ingredient is butternut squash. I opted to use baby food butternut squash, because it is already pureed and proportioned.
Oh well - better luck tomorrow!

Day 3: Scrambled Eggs

Reese reluctantly ate her 3 bites, and was done. But, Ding Ding Ding! Can you believe it? Bailey ate his promised 3 bites of Eggs and kept on going! Granted, there were some Fries waiting for him on the other end, but he actually said he liked the eggs! He has eaten eggs before, but not often! I am so excited - I know - no big deal, it's just eggs, right? But this is Bailey we are talking about!
Not just that, but these eggs also had Cauliflower, Parmesan Cheese and Yogurt in them! Of course I would never tell HIM that! With all these foods, I think maybe my plan is just to get him to try new things, not necessarily to enjoy them... I can't blame him for a sensitive palate. I am just happy, there was no gagging today! :)
Disclaimer- I have not actually tried the eggs myself, as I had just eaten lunch before I made them, but I will give them a try and tell you my honest opinion later!
Today's Success: WIN

Update: I tried them myself, and to be honest - the texture is a little different, but I added salt and pepper to mine- and it is scrumptious! YUM!

Day 2: Pancakes

Today I made Sweet Potato Pancakes. I'd say the sucess was a no, but we are getting closer. At first, they looked  horrible, because I used Bisquik instead of Instant Pancake mix, so they were a little too moist. But I started making them smaller (silver dollar pancakes), and they turned out great. Again- YUM! Sweet, and cinnamon-y (is that a word???)... Bailey tried a bite, and washed it down with chocolate milk, but I didn't see him do it. He said he almost threw up. I made him take another bite, while I was watching, and he did it without gagging this time. I said was that so bad? He said Yes! - okay no. We agreed that everytime I make something, he will eat one more bite. So he ate 1 bite of the muffin, 2 bites of the pancakes, tomorrow is scambled eggs (with Cauliflour). We'll see how that goes. I am becoming wise, and realize that it's not the food he doesn't like, it's the TRYING the NEW food. He's always been that way, and it's always been a hit & miss. So I am remaining hopeful that he will like SOMETHING, SOMEDAY, SOMEWHERE!! On a lighter note, I told him I am starting with Breakfasts... He asked " When are you doing Desserts??"

DAY 1: Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins

Sounds good, huh? I thought so too! I happened to already have evrything, and Bailey (my 8yo) loves PB & Honey Sandwiches, so I thought, if I bake half of them with honey, instead of Jelly he'd like it them. The hidden ingredient is pureed carrots. Besides the jelly spilling all over the inside of the oven (note to self: put them on a baking sheet next time), the kitchen smelled great, and I couldn't wait to try them. Oh my goodness! They were SOOO good! So I sat down with Bailey, poured more honey over one, and gave one to him. He took a bite, gagged it down (with chocolate milk to wash it down), and Reese (my 3 year) old ate the rest... FAIL!

THE STRUGGLE

So... I am a 32 year old stay at home mom who homeschools, with 2 kids ages 8 & 3. My 3yo is an okay eater - if you are creative, and make it fun. My 8yo has never been a good eater, unless you count baby food, and infant formula. Ever since we changed over to real food, it'd been a struggle.
I have learned not to judge parents EVER, because you don't know what they go through. I am sure people look at us & have preconceived notions like: "If that were my kid... he'd eat much better." Guess what! He is NOT your kid, and YOU don't know what WE have gone through! So STOP judging me! I have gone to bed many nights in tears... or have just cried throughout the day. He goes through stages of what he will eat. If I used both hands, I could probably list everything he will touch. PB&Honey sandwiches, CheezIts, Cheddar cheese squares, Chocolate milk, Pringles, Cinnamon Graham Crackers, Pizza, Rolls with butter, Water, Cinnamon Toast. Yep - that 10! Things he Has eaten, but now won't are: Spaghetti, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Waffles. Can you think of what most of those things have in common? He is what we call "a CARBIVORE". No veggies - no way!
I think every parent has to pick their battles. This is one I have chosen not to pick... until now.

So- I AM ON A MISSION!    Have you seen the movie Julie & Julia? A great movie (staring Meryl Streep & Amy Adams) about a gal who cooks Julie Childs' recipes for one year, and blogs about her experiences. Well, I already own the book Deceptively Delicious, written by the genious named "Jessica Seinfeld" (yes, Jerry's wife). She had the ingenious idea to puree veggies and fruits, and hide them in food. So... as you might guess, I am going to try to make everything in this book, and see if I can get my 8yo to try and like at least 1 thing! We have 3 days left of school, so summer vacation is almost upon us... let's get going!