Pears...

I'm making Kat pear baby food today. I've found that baking apples and pears rather than steaming them tends to leave them tasting a bit better, and Kat certainly likes them! I thought I'd post my recipe for Pear Mush :) errr Baby Food here for your enjoyment.

I start with Ripe Organic Pears- Pears are on the Dirty Dozen list for pesticide accumulation. Most pesticides tend to build up in the skins (which we remove) but I like to buy organic pears regardless! Better safe than sorry. It might be a small amount of chemicals that wouldn't effect me, but Kat is just a tiny girl- it'll be harder on her!

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-Peel and core the pears.
-Cut pears into small chunks
-Put pears into baking dish with a small amount of water on the bottom (just covering the bottom, not covering the pears)
-Bake for approx. 10 minutes until tender
-Let cool
-Mash pears with potato masher (I've found this gives me a more consistantly textured puree later)
-Puree pear mash in food proccesor with approx 1/2 oz of breastmilk per pear (give or take, depending on consistancy) You can also use water or formula, but I like the breastmilk as it adds some sweetness to the pears and is so nutritious!!
-Pour the puree into clean ice cube trays, cover, and freeze until solid.
-Transfer cubes to freezer bags and label appropriately.

To Reconstitute-
-I put one cube in a small baby dish in the microwave for about 10 seconds. This melts it and gets it slightly warm (which Kitten loves) Make sure to stir vigorously before feeding to eliminate any 'hot spots' from microwaving.

With any leftover pears for Mom and Dad here's a great idea!

-Sprinkle pear halves with brown sugar, cinnamon, and honey
-Bake for approx. 10 minutes at 400 degrees

YUM!