Recipes for Baby's First Thanksgiving

Your baby may be too young to dig into the turkey and stuffing with the rest of the family this Thanksgiving, but that doesn't mean he or she can't enjoy some special holiday meals. The following are simple recipes for Thanksgiving dishes made just for baby. Remember that infants (especially younger ones just starting on solid foods) don't need many seasonings, if any at all. So go easy on the salt, sugar, butter or margarine, and spices.

For the littlest pilgrims (7 months and younger)

Squash Puree

2 small acorn squash or one butternut squash
2 tbsp. apple juice

Cut the squash into halves and scoop out the seeds. Divide the juice and pour over the squash halves, and then cover with aluminum foil. Place in a baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Remove the foil and allow the squash to cool. Scrape the insides of the squash and puree in a blender or processor. Freeze any you don't use right away.

Carrot-Apple Blend

1/2 medium apple, cored and peeled
1/2 carrot, washed and peeled
2 tbsp. fruit juice (such as apple or orange)
1 tsp. lemon juice

Puree all ingredients in a blender or processor and serve.

Pureed Vegetables

1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, scrubbed and chopped
1/2 zucchini, scrubbed, peeled, and chopped
1/2 celery stalk, scrubbed and chopped

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until all ingredients are tender. Put in blender or food processor with a little of the water from the saucepan; adjust the amount of liquid to achieve the desired consistency. Cool and serve.

Pumpkin Pie

1 can pumpkin puree
Baby rice cereal or oatmeal
Breast milk or formula

Blend all ingredients together. Adjust the proportions of each ingredient until you reach the desired consistency. Serve warm or cold.

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