TikTok’s algorithm works well. It knows I like motherhood and it knows I like cooking. What’s better than endless videos of moms cooking food for their babies? I love cooking food for my baby!
The fun thing is that some days the baby eats well, and some days it’s like pulling teeth. All this comparison culture with social media shows babies eating SO much food, and mommies pumping SO much milk, and then the advice is don’t cook anything special for the baby, just give them what you’re having, but then here’s all these toddler food recipes that your kid will definitely eat. It’s just a lot
Well, sometimes she eats a lot, compared to her, not the babies on the internet that eat enough to go to the buffet, and sometimes I can throw anything at her and she’s just like no.
So I got inspired by the TikTok algorithm and I made some French toast roll-ups and some veggie chicken nuggets. They were delicious! Like so good! The baby hated them. She didn’t eat them at all. But take it from me, they’re worth it.
The chicken nuggets I made the same as the recipe, except for I just coated them in sourdough bread crumbs instead of whatever coating is listed. I want to eat them all the time.
Ingredients
Method
- Cut the crust off the bread slices.
- Roll your bread slices thin with a rolling pin, or whatever you have to roll things. Wine bottle? Other jar?
- Spread the softened cream cheese on the slices, going all the way to the edges. Same with peanut butter if you're doing that.
- Scatter the berries on the bread, not quite to the bottom edge.
- Roll the bread up as tightly as you can without tearing it.
- Beat the eggs, milk, and cinnamon.
- Heat a skillet over medium low heat and melt some butter in it. If you mix a little olive oil in the butter it wont burn!
- Coat the roll-ups in the French toast egg mixture.
- Cook them until they're golden on all sides. Make sure you don't move them until they're ready or else they'll stick.
Notes
I’m pretty sure that’s the first time I’ve ever tried to write a recipe. Also, these rolls were so good that I didn’t care that baby didn’t eat them! They’re a dreamy treat of handheld stuffed French toast that I didn’t know I needed in my life. You’re welcome.
On another note of mundane anxieties…
When you have a baby that is seemingly on a hunger strike, even though you’re the best mom ever and make everything from scratch, it can be stressful!
So I went to a potluck dinner of families with youngins. I noticed two things about myself:
- I was hoping that my baby would eat more in a different setting. I may be obsessed with her eating habits?
- I have no idea how to act like a normal human being when my baby is around.
This led to me awkwardly watching kids eat and me telling their parents, “Wow! She’s such a good eater!” Instead of, “Hi, my name’s Leah. What’s your name?”
Then, for the entire like 3 hours I was there, I could barely hold a conversation. All of these other normal adults were asking me questions and telling me interesting things about themselves. Like making eye contact and being decent people. Meanwhile, I have a ping pong ball bouncing around in my brain. I could barely function.
What is baby doing? Where is baby? Is baby going to eat more? What did this lady just say? Oh yeah, yeah, I’m a teacher. Where’s my baby?
No joke, the other parents weren’t even looking at their kids. They must have thought I’m such an neurotic amateur. One mom was actually like “Oh yeah, maybe I should watch for my kids, but we’re at a house where they have kids, so I assume things are safe.” The confusing thing is they invited me back, and some of them actually seemed to like me. I’m like… how?
When will I be able to be a normal adult again who can talk with other adults about interesting things?
Anyway, try those French toast roll-ups and veggie chicken nuggets! You won’t regret it! Thanks for reading my musings!