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35 Classic Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Still need to plan your Thanksgiving menu? If you're looking for inspiration, then check out this fantastic round-up Classic Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes on Taste As You Go! You know how some people get really excited about the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks? That's how excited I get about turning the calendar over to November. Because November means the coming of the holiday season and the celebration of Thanksgiving. As much as we look forward to spending the day in the company of loved ones, Stephen and I have decided to stay home this year so we can enjoy our first Thanksgiving as a family of three. Of course, staying home means that I'll be cooking the big meal, and I have to admit that I'm a little intimidated by the idea. I know I have to plan for certain must-haves -- roast turkey, apple chestnut stuffing , and green bean casserole -- but I'm having a hard time choosing which additional side dishes to make. While I want there t

How To: Make and Freeze Homemade Baby Food {Zucchini Purée}

Babies love the naturally subtle flavor of zucchini, which is packed with Vitamin A that helps with growth and development and the maintenance of a healthy immune system. 

Homemade Baby Food - Zucchini Purée | Taste As You Go

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I've been doing a lot of apologizing lately. Unfortunately, I wind up having no idea what I apologize for or why I felt compelled to apologize in the first place.

Case in point:

It came up in a recent conversation that I make the majority of our daughter's food myself (as opposed to buying jars or pouches of baby food). Most of the time, people ask me whether it's a lot of work, but this time, I heard a response I wasn't prepared for.

"Of course you do."

Before I could even think about it or stop myself from doing it, I told her I was sorry. The conversation moved on to other things, but I just sat there silently getting angry at myself.

Farmer's Market Zucchini | Taste As You Go

What the heck did I just apologize for? For talking about the baby? For choosing to make her food from scratch? For unintentionally making someone feel inferior?

I'm still not sure.

Sliced Zucchini | Taste As You Go

All I know is I have to STOP apologizing for things that don't require an apology.

While I try and figure out the best way to do that -- do you guys have any advice for me?? -- I'll continue making homemade baby food for as long as it makes sense to do so.

Sliced Zucchini | Taste As You Go

In terms of introducing her to solids, we started with carrots and then moved on to zucchini. At the time, they were still plentiful at the farmers' market, and I wanted to take advantage of our access to the locally grown loot.

Sliced Zucchini | Taste As You Go

First, I washed the zucchini, trimmed the ends, and sliced each of them into rounds. I placed the zucchini slices in a medium pan, poured in just enough water to cover them, and brought the water up to a boil. Then I reduced the heat and let the vegetables simmer until they were fork-tender.

Homemade Zucchini Puree | Taste As You Go

Once the zucchini slices were tender, I transferred them to the bowl of my food processor with a slotted spoon, and pureéd them. Since zucchini has a naturally high water content, I didn't have to add any extra water or liquid to get the consistency I was looking for -- smooth but thick.

Homemade Zucchini Puree | Taste As You Go

As I did for the carrots, I made a large batch of zucchini purée so I could freeze the majority of it.

Once the purée had cooled to room temperature, I spooned it into the compartments of ice cube trays, covered the trays tightly with plastic wrap, and then put the trays in the freezer to set overnight.

Homemade Zucchini Puree | Taste As You Go

The next day, I popped the cubes of zucchini purée out of the trays and transferred them to quart-size freezer bags marked with the date, contents, and "use by" instructions.

And that's it!

How To: Use Zucchini Purée

But what if you make and/or freeze a batch of zucchini purée and your baby decides he/she doesn't like zucchini anymore? In case you're left with a whole lot of zucchini purée in your freezer, here are some ways to use it up (you can use the purée in place of shredded zucchini if you want a smoother texture):


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