Chicken liver and berry puree

Yup, that's right. Chicken liver for babies. I was hesitant at first too, but we gave some to M when he was around 1 and he LOVED it. Who knew? M likes it plain, but combining it with berries and turning it a lovely purple color definitely makes it more appetizing.

M's passion for chicken liver is helpful since it’s one of our extended family’s staples for holidays and family dinners. And you know what? It’s easy to make and is a protein- and iron-rich dip for crackers or veggies. And it’s delicious. Trust me. Actually, don't trust me: Make it for yourself and see.

If you've made chicken liver before, skip these next few pictures. If you're a liver novice, here's what mine looks like at various stages of cooking:

Stage 1: Put some olive oil in a hot pan and add the livers, making sure that each one has some space in the pan. Cook in batches if you have to.

Stage 2: Ready to flip. Once you see brown creeping up the sides, flip those puppies over and continue to cook.

Stage 3: Add the onions. Once you have an even browning on both sides, add the chopped onions. It's okay if there are some pinkish areas remaining because cooking isn't over yet.

Stage 4: Cover. Once the onions are translucent and the livers are mostly browned (it's okay of there are some slightly pink nooks, but you should see any "raw" patches), cover and cook over a low flame for about 10 more minutes. 

Chopped chicken liver

.75 lb chicken livers
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil over a medium flame. Add chicken livers and brown on both sides. Once livers are browned, add the chopped onions. (It’s okay if there are small bits of pink still showing on the livers in the nooks and crannies- see photos.) Cook on medium heat until onions are opaque, about 5-8 minutes. Cover and turn heat to low. Let simmer for another 10-12 minutes or until livers are cooked through.

Immediately add cooked livers and onions and all liquid to a food processor or blender with hard-boiled eggs and balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste, but I’m usually very generous with the salt at this phase. Pulse the food processor until you’ve reached your desired consistency. Taste again for seasoning.

Yield: about 2 cups

Berry compote

1 pint blueberries
1 pint blackberries
2 Tbsp water

Combine berries and water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the berries are cooked down, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Puree. If your little is opposed to seeds (like mine), pass through a mesh strainer. 

Combo

2 Tbsp Chopped chicken liver
2 Tbsp Berry compote
1 Tbsp Applesauce

Apples and honey stuffed french toast

Apples and honey french toast | Me & the Moose. This french toast combines fall flavors of apples and honey for a delicious breakfast or dinner. #meandthemoose #fall #frenchtoast #roshhashanah #apples #honey #breakfast

Even if you aren’t celebrating Rosh Hashanah, apples and honey are a superb combo and mixed with cream cheese and stuffed into buttery challah French toast? **Chef’s kiss**

Take me to the recipe!

Apples and honey french toast | Me & the Moose. This french toast combines fall flavors of apples and honey for a delicious breakfast or dinner. #meandthemoose #fall #frenchtoast #roshhashanah #apples #honey #breakfast

You could absolutely eat this French toast for a special holiday breakfast, but I love a breakfast-for-dinner situation and holidays with breakfast-for-dinner foods are especially fun, no? Also, might I add, this fancy-seeming French toast is extremely easy to whip up for a Yom Kippur break fast in a few days.

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Apples and honey french toast | Me & the Moose. This french toast combines fall flavors of apples and honey for a delicious breakfast or dinner. #meandthemoose #fall #frenchtoast #roshhashanah #apples #honey #breakfast

Apples and honey stuffed french toast

Time: About 20 minutes
Yield: 3-4 extra large slices

Adapted from this stuffed french toast recipe
Leftover challah (Cut into 3-4 very thick slices)
4 eggs
½ cup milk
½ tsp cinnamon (heaping)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp butter (for the pan)

Stuffing
3-4 oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
2-3 tsp honey
1 small apple, chopped into very small pieces (about 1/3 of a cup)
Large pinch of salt

To make the stuffing, combine the softened cream cheese, apple sauce, honey, and salt. Put the cream cheese mixture into a plastic bag or piping bag and put in the fridge until needed.

Starting at the top crust, make a cut down the middle of each thick bread piece but stop an inch from each side and the bottom to create a pocket in each slice. Cut enough so that you can get some filling into the pocket, but leave enough room around the edges that the bread won't break and spill the filling.

In a frying pan, melt 1 Tbsp of butter on low heat.

In a separate container, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Take out your bag of cream cheese mixture and cut one bottom corner to make a piping bag. Open each slice of bread and fill with about 2-3 Tbsp of cream cheese mixture. Squish the bread and filling together a bit.

Working with one slice at a time, dunk both sides in the egg mixture and let the bread soak in the liquid. When the pan is hot, cook the bread slices until golden brown. Flip and repeat until golden brown on both sides.

Serve immediately with a drizzle of honey on top.

A couple of recipe notes:

• If you need/want to sub whipped cream cheese for regular cream cheese, omit the apple sauce in the filling and add a little bit of extra honey. Whipped cream cheese is much thinner and wetter, so you don’t need the apple sauce to thin out the mixture.

• Once you’ve filled your bread, give it a little squeeze to ensure that the mixture stays inside.

• Feel free to increase the egg mixture. Once you’ve dipped all of your bread slices, the leftover eggs can be cooked like regular scrambled eggs for a sweet, cinnamon-y egg-y treat.