Marcus Meals: Cheesy Pasta

Awhile back Marcus decided he wanted nothing to do with the pureed foods I'd been making for him. All the kid would eat was cantaloupe, puffs, bananas, and yogurt. Slowly, he began to explore different foods. He eventually got to the point where he thought he could eat whatever mommy and daddy were having.

Often I'll cut up what I'm eating (into very small bite-sized pieces) and let him munch away. But, I have this great infant/toddler/young child recipe/cookbook that I haven't really cracked since I halted pureeing.

I spotted a cheesy pasta recipe that looked like it would be a winner in this house.

This mac and cheese recipe is a great way to sneak in some veggies into any kiddos diet. Marcus loved it and has already devoured all four servings.

Cheesy Pasta

1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup boiling water
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup tomatoes, skinned, deseeded, and chopped
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup mini pasta wheels

Place carrots in a small pan, cover with boiling water, cook until tender, 15-20 minutes.
In a separate pan, add tomatoes, and saute until mushy.
Remove tomatoes from heat and stir in cheese until melted.
Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until tender, then drain.
Mix together the coked carrots with their cooking liquid and the cheese and tomato sauce.
Puree carrots and cheese sauce.
Combine pureed sauce with pasta wheels.

If your little one isn't quite ready to feed him/her self use a smaller pasta, such as stelline or orzo and spoon feed.

Enjoy!

Source: Karmel, Annabel. First Meals: Fast, Healthy and Fun Foods for Infants and Toddlers. New York: DK Publishing, 1999. Print.