The Toddler Who Ate Everything

The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

Crystal M — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:18:34 +0000

From an early age, Monkey has enjoyed eating eggs in all forms – scrambled, over-easy, deviled, you name it. But nothing satisfies her more these days than giving a good-smack to a hard-boiled egg, listening to the crack and peeling off the battered outer shell. And now that her fine motor skills are improving, it’s not quite such a mess for me either.

My toddler is not quite so picky about the inside of the egg, but I do hate to see an olive-green edge around the yolk. Thus began the hunt for a perfect hard-boiled egg. What I learned through experimentation is that the key is two-fold: a) the egg needs to be thoroughly submerged in the water, at least by an inch and then b) the egg does not need to be boiled for very long at all.

Try this recipe:

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Place half-dozen eggs in a deep sauce or saute pan and cover with water by at least an inch. Bring water to a boil using high heat. Once the water is boiling, remove the pan from the stove, cover it, and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
After sitting, immerse the eggs in a ice cold water bath for about 5 minutes or return eggs to the carton and put back in the fridge.

At this point, I usually make a mental note to come back later and mark the hard-boiled eggs with a big black H so that I don’t mistake them for uncooked eggs. Incidentally, these eggs are perfect for use in an egg salad or a deviled eggs recipe – both ideas that have on occasion worked with my picky eater (but not universally).

Smell; Taste

Crystal M — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:38:09 +0000

I know that there are a few of us out there trying to understand on some level what makes kids so picky! Researchers and scientists have long taken up the topic, and now, at least in my area, a TV program devoted to the subject will be airing on local PBS stations to discuss the topic. The episode called “Smell; Taste” is part of a series, Human Senses. The show promises to tell us exactly what is the most disgusting smell known to humankind. Should be fun!

Gettin’ Jiggy With It

Crystal M — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:36:01 +0000

We made these super easy gelatin treats for Halloween, but they would work just as well for a fall-themed event. You can easily buy pre-made gelatin already in a cup formation (which I did to save time, but also to get a variety of colors) and use any leftover Halloween candy for the body parts of the spider or monster that your child is creating. I also invested in a small tube of black frosting that Monkey could easily grab and use to create the eyeballs, etc. I know it seems like a lot of sugar all at once, but I was there to regulate her intake, and it turned out that she didn’t care for the gelatin one bit. She mainly enjoyed making her “jiggly critter.” We were inspired to make this dessert by one of my mom’s magazines (she’s been in town visiting), but I can’t find it on their site. Here’s a picture of the page that we used to guide us:

Isn’t Life Grape?

Crystal M — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:33:42 +0000

One of the pleasures of living in wine country is the easy access to all things grape and wine related. Harvest has ended early this year, but we made it to a winery in time to see the production process in full swing. Although Monkey is too young to drink wine, she has certainly seen her parents drink enough of it to recognize the special glasses when they appear on the table and request a sip on occasion. Showing her the grape sorting and crushing and fermenting process was a great deal of fun, and at this stage of the game it’s all still grape juice – perfect for sampling. If you’re lucky enough to bring home some juice from a visit to a winery, try this recipe for sorbet:

Grape Juice Sorbet

3 cups of grape juice

1 cup sugar , divided into quarter cups

Dissolve the sugar into the grape juice, a quarter of a cup at a time, adding only enough sugar until it tastes good to you. Place the mixture in the refrigerator until it is very cool, at least 4 hours. Freeze in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturers instructions. Store in freezer in popsicle molds or freezer-proof container.

Happy as a Clam

Crystal M — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:35:03 +0000

We were a bit nervous about trying something new, especially since we’ve been bombarded with “no!”s when new food appears on the table. (We’re working on “no, thank you,” too.) Maybe the stars were aligned this day, but Monkey ate clam chowder with gusto. Of course, we were in clam chowder country, up in the Northwest, where every bowl is better than the last one. It’s not something I’ve attempted at home, and canned clam chowders are often not very tasty. What a thrill when Monkey moved her dad out of the way and gulped the rest of his soup. Maybe that’s the trick – just have her taste our food, but order her favorites when we’re out at restaurants.