quick freezer breakfast

Today the kids had apricot and pear oatmeal with banana bread french toast. I had made the oatmeal several days ago and the banana bread almost a month ago, and stored them both in the freezer.

apricot and pear oatmeal:
Combine 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup rolled oats, and 6-8 finely chopped dried apricots in a saucepan. Cook about 3 minutes then add 1 chopped pear. Blitz with an imersion blender for a smoother consistency.
To store, divide among several plastic baby food containers and stick in a labeled ziploc bag in the freezer.
To reheat, add a couple of tablespoons of whole milk to the oatmeal and pop in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Voila! Fast and tasty.

When I put away the bread, I cut it into narrow slices and stored them in a ziploc bag. The first few weeks the defrosted bread was just as good as (if not better than) when it was fresh. However, this morning I noticed that although it still had a pleasing taste the bread had become dry.

banana bread french toast:
combine 1 egg, slightly beaten, 1/3 cup whole milk, and a dash of nutmeg in a shallow dish. Dip each side of defrosted bread in mixture and place in a skillet on medium heat. cook about 2 minutes on each side. Let cool then chop into bite size pieces. The bread will still hold it's shape and is now as moist as ever.

Cooking for babies

We've had a recent run of success with the twins exploring new tastes and textures at mealtime. They've been such a hit that I feel the need to share, for any moms looking for healthy, tasty dishes for their little one(s). I've gotten lots of great recipes from a book mom got me, and while we didn't follow the books guide on when to introduce foods (or include things like butter in first veggie purees) there are tons of great, fast meal ideas. Some of our favorites so far are apricot and pear oatmeal, veggies with cheese sauce, and chicken with tomato and rice. Chicken bolognese and tuna pasta with creamy tomato sauce have also been well received. Most of these meals use ingredients kept readily available and are fairly quick to put together. One great thing this book has introduced us to is a simple cheese sauce; from veggies to pasta it's a great binder and can help soften the flavor of some veggies like broccoli.
Most of these recipes are suitable for freezing, something that comes in handy when trying to offer variety. I held on to the plastic containers and lids that Gerber baby foods are packaged in and now use them for our own foods. Ziploc bags labeled with the contents and date are filled with individual servings and stuck in the freezer for later use. I will usually double the recipes and have enough left for 2 meals (for two kids.)
Stay tuned for a few recipes and time savers. :)