Toddler Breakfast Good Eats

For our unexpected Christmas time at home Kurt and I bought a few groceries that we knew we could finish within a week and things that don’t spoil. On Kurt’s annoying additive infested list, canned soups and boxed Mac & Cheese. On my list, bulk steel cut oats, eggs. We’re truly like yin and yang. I want to get rid of all that crap but every time I take him shopping with me he buys more of it. I swear if I have to smell Mac & Cheese cooking with nasty cut up chunks of unidentified leftover animal parts (hot dogs) I’m going to heave. That shit is nasty! Any “meat” that expands when cooked just ain’t right. Think about it, what fuckin’ steak puffs up when cooked?

Anyway, tired of only being able to feed Sophia zucchini omelets and Dutch Babies (recipe to follow) for breakfast I decided to force some oatmeal in her. I’ve heard steel cut oats have more nutritional value because they’re less processed than regular old-fashioned rolled oats, so that’s what I use. They texture is a little different and they take twenty to twenty-five minutes to cook verses five to ten, but other than that it’s all the same to me. One part steel cut oats to three parts water cooked until tender, add raisins and/or dates, add milk for preferred consistency, and brown sugar or maple syrup for preferred sweetness, and viola!

I put three tablespoons of oatmeal into a bowl for Sophia and offered her some on her spoon. She pushed the spoon away. Oh no you don’t, you’re going to at the very least try a bite you little shit. I know many people insist that all things should be pleasant joyful experiences for kids. Everything from eating to toilet training is supposed to be made into a ‘fun game’, but at some point I want my kid to try new stuff and she just isn’t doing it on her own. One stupid bite that’s all I want. If she doesn’t like it that’s fine, we can go back to the standby and try it again another time, but just take a fucking bite!

Holding her arms down I used a heat seeking missile spoon to find an opening somewhere around the mouth area. She turned her head back and forth, looked at the ceiling and fought it off until the spoon found it’s perfect opportunity. She paused. She chewed. I readied another spoonful and this time her mouth was wide open. I knew you’d like it you stubborn little shit.

After coming back from Christmas vacation, I tried another oatmeal like breakfast food with Sophia. I learned of it in the “What to Expect When you’re Expecting” book that a friend gave to me, it’s called Morning Muesli, or just Muesli.

• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup calcium-fortified apple or orange juice (this sounds gross to me so I use milk instead)
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt (I use plain yogurt)
• 3 died apricots, chopped
• ¼ cup raisins and/or dates
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Maple syrup or brown sugar to taste
• Fresh fruit of your choice
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans (I leave these out when feeding Sophia for now)

Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy. I make mine the night before so the oats absorb most of the moisture and I wind up adding more milk. I don’t add the fresh fruit until it’s time to serve.

DUTCH BABIES:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 or 4 eggs (the more eggs the more quiche-like it is)
• ½ cup milk (or half-and-half)
• ½ cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1 pinch salt (optional)
• 2 to 4 tablespoons butter (depends on how rich you want it and salted or unsalted can be used)
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

DIRECTIONS

• Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet inside oven and preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until light. Add milk and stir. Gradually whisk in flour, nutmeg and salt.
• Remove skillet from oven and reduce oven heat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt butter in hot skillet so that inside of skillet is completely coated with butter. Pour all the batter in the skillet and return skillet to oven.
• Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove promptly and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Dust with powdered sugar and serve with warm maple syrup and wedges of lemon
Or pour on clarified butter, sprinkle on lemon juice and dust with powdered sugar
OR dust with powdered sugar and serve with strawberries and whip cream on top
Serves 2

When I make this for Sophia I only use enough butter to coat the pan, I leave off all the sugary parts and just top it with frozen fruit that I’ve warmed up. I’ve tried to make this with wheat flour, but it just doesn’t come out the same.

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