Baby's First Teeth!

This was originally written on Tuesday, October 28, 2008:

Logan's bottom two front teeth popped through today!!! (Six months, ten days old.) I didn't see it coming. Last Tues. at his six month check-up his pediatrician checked his gums but said he couldn't really tell when "the day" would be.

Joe & I check Logan's gums every other day, so the last time we felt was over the weekend and we felt holes but no teeth. Yesterday he was kind of fussy but nowhere near how he was on his six month birthday or the other bad days he's had in his life. If it wouldn't have been for him chewing on a chew toy today I probably wouldn't have even checked. But normally he doesn't care for them and today was really gnawing at one for a long time. (Okay, wait, I'm still used to dogs--I mean "teething toys," lol.) So when Logan was done I stuck my finger in his mouth and gasped! I felt teeth! So I pulled his lower lip down and there were two white, short teeth! I didn't know they could come in at exactly the same time! I thought there was going to be more of a warning--so I'm glad (hopefully) the worst is over. Fortunately, I haven't felt them while he's breastfeeding yet.

As for the "night stuff," I'm starting to think The Ferber Method isn't any more right for us than the Cry It Out Method. I've been consistant with the first cry (out of three) and today Joe helped me with the third as well--but there's something about that second cry that makes me like an addict "just this once, I'll do better tomorrow." I think it's because that's during my deepest sleep so I always really want to get back to sleep fast! Also, it's difficult when you're still breastfeeding. During that middle cry I need relief and it's a lot easier to give him what he wants immediately (nursing for a few minutes) because then he's back to being sound asleep. I can just keep my eyes closed and hardly wake up myself!

I finally got caught up on my What to Expect book and read that with either of these methods you have to be consistent or else it's just going to confuse your child. I agree, so I will try it the rest of this week, hoping to do progressive waiting with all three cries. For his naps during the day we are lucky, he falls asleep without anything (as well as to bed the first time). . .so maybe pretty soon he'll go back to sleep on his own during the night or not wake up at all (like he did naturally up until a month-and-a-half ago)! Also, Lisa P reminded me of something I'd learned before I had a baby but had forgotten about: breathable bumper pads. Those should take care of the problem of Logan sticking his legs through the bars without having to worry about smothering.

Changing subjects. . .I saw Billy Joel's wife on The Early Show the other day and she made me wish I was a cook with all of her yummy pumpkin recipes. You'll see what I mean if you click on the video! I've included her recipes below. . I'll let you know if I get the guts to try any.




Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Making homemade pumpkin puree is easier than it sounds. Canned pumpkin is always a good substitute though. You can buy it at any market and with the economy the way it is it may be cheaper to by the can as opposed to buying a pumpkin.

1 (8 lb.) sugar pumpkin
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut top off pumpkin and reserve. Scrape out seeds (keep these for making snack mix!). Brush the inside of the pumpkin with butter. Place pumpkin in a foil-lined baking dish. Bake for 2 hours and allow to cool to touch. Pour out any extra liquid. Scoop out pulp and blend in a food processor. Chill and drain off any extra liquid before using.

Souffléd Pumpkin Pancake

I created this recipe one fall weekend morning when I was in the mood for something with pumpkin. I was almost out of flour, so pumpkin muffins were out of the question. This little experiment turned out to be fabulously light and delicious. Make one large pancake instead of many little ones, and everyone can take a bite!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/4 cup pecan halves
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup buttermilk
11/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup pure pumpkin puree (homemade or storebought)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Confectioners' sugar
Pure maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Pour 3 tablespoons of the butter into a medium bowl and set aside. Add the brown sugar to the remaining butter in the skillet. Stir until the sugar begins to melt. Add the pecans and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the pecans to a small dish and set aside. Reserve the skillet for the pancake.In a small bowl mix together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.

Add the egg yolks, buttermilk, and vanilla to the reserved melted butter and whisk until blended. Gradually whisk in the flour. Stir in the pumpkin puree. Set aside.In a very clean bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, whip the egg whites until frothy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the pumpkin batter. Carefully spoon the batter into the skillet. Sprinkle the top with the reserved pecans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.Dust the pancake with confectioners' sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with maple syrup.

Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix

Save the pumpkin seeds from your jack-o-lantern carving to make this yummy snack mix! I like to use hollowed mini-pumpkins as serving bowls for the mix during cocktail hour.

9 cups Chex cereal
1/2 cup mixed salted nuts
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1 cup garlic-flavored bagel chips
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Preheat oven to 300 F. In a large bowl, combine cereal, nuts, pumpkin seeds, and bagel chips. In the microwave, melt butter with worcesteshire and seasonings. Drizzle butter mixture over cereal and toss to evenly coat cereal. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Slice up the pumpkins and put it in a salad -- dice it and roast it!!

3 cups sugar pumpkin, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups baby arugula
2 Tablespoons pepitas (roasted and salted)
2 Tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds
Parmesan shavings, for garnish
For the Vinaigrette:
1 Tablespoon shallots, minced
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon pomegranate molasses (honey can be substituted)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss pumpkin with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, until fork tender. Let cool completely.Place arugula in a large salad bowl. Top with pumpkin, pepitas, and pomegranate seeds. Garnish with Parmesan shavings and serve with vinaigrette.

For vinaigrette, whisk all ingredients together until emulsified.

Rustic Pumpkin Penne Pasta

I had a pasta similar to this in Italy that was made with wild boar. I loved the rustic flavors so much that I had to recreate it at home using ingredients that were a bit easier to find -- like substituting the boar for sausage. The pumpkin ends up being used more in the rich creamy sauce! To make this lower fat, you can use whole wheat pasta and turkey sausage.

1 pound penne pasta
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage (you can use pork or turkey)
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups wild mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne pasta to package instructions and drain. Reserve about 1/4 cup pasta liquid.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and brown. Remove sausage from pan and drain on paper towels. Drain all but about a tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add onion and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms, sage, and thyme. Cook until mushrooms are soft and any liquid has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes. Add stock to deglaze pan, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in pumpkin, cream, and sausage and simmer to thicken about 5 minutes. Stir in pasta. If pasta looks dry, add reserved pasta liquid. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Pumpkin Toffee Trifle

Trifles are a fun and easy way to make a decadent dessert. This Pumpkin Toffee Trifle is simply decadent and has all the flavors of the season. Don't waste your time putting on icing and worrying about every single detail of a big project cake. The large trifle bowl is great and easy to use. You can make the night before. The longer it sits in the fridge the better!

1 (6 ounce) box vanilla pudding mix, cooked to package instructions
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup light brown sugar
4 bananas, thinly sliced
4 toffee bars, chopped
1 loaf pumpkin bread (about 3 cups), cut in cubes
4 cups whipped cream

Gently mix vanilla pudding with pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar.

Into a glass trifle bowl, add one half of the pumpkin bread. Scoop in one half of the pudding, add a layer of one half of the banana and chopped toffee. Smooth on one half of the whipped cream. Repeat layers, ending with cream and toffee. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

PUMPKIN Décor

Find little pumpkins and flowers and make them into vases!