In this Issue
Joke of the Month
Tips for Making Baby Food
Free Initial Consultation
Business of the Month
List of Services
estate planning austin attorney image

Estate Planning Newsletter

March 2006


About Us
Andrew Traub Attorney Lawyer Austin, Texas
The Traub Law Office is a Full Service Law Firm located at 5900 Balcones Drive.
Andrew Traub is my name, and I want to help you ensure that your loved ones are taken care of. Call me at 343-2572 or email me.

Free Initial Consultation
Did you know that the Traub Law Office offers a free initial consultation?
Part of my dedication to my clients is ensuring that there is a good fit between you and I. The purpose of the free initial consultation is for you to tell your story, learn about me, and then we can decide whether we would work well together. There is no obligation on your part, so why not schedule a free initial consultation today?

Joke of the Month
Attorney: At the scene of the accident, did you tell the constable you had never felt better in your life?
Farmer: That's right.
Attorney: Well, then, how is it htat you are now claiming you were seriously injured when my client's auto hit your wagon?
Farmer: When the constable arrived, he went over to my horse, who had a broken leg, and shot him. Then he went over to Rover, my dog, who was all banged up, and shot him. When he asked me how I felt, I just thought under the circumstances, it was a wise choice of words to say I've never felt better in my life.

Warning...

"Were You In A Car Accident?"


Insurance Companies Will Use Everything and Anything to Beat You and Your Personal Injury Case! Fight back! FREE Special Report Reveals Vital Information About How to Get Everything You Deserve! If you or someone you love was recently in an auto accident in Texas, simply visit austinaccidentlawyer.com or CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-560-3469 ext. 5557 (24 hr. Recorded Message) to receive your FREE Report!


"Moving or Refinancing Your House?"

If you are looking to buy a new home or sell your existing home, give me a shout. I know tons of realtors and mortgage brokers and will refer several to you that match your needs.

If you prefer to sell your house on your own, contact me for help reviewing the contract or writing one up for you. You can also receive my new free Special Report for Austin, Texas real estate.
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 Tips for Homemade Baby Food

Tips for Homemade Baby Food

Making your own baby food will ensure that what your child is eating is fresh, nutritious and free of additives. By making your own baby foods, you'll be saving money, up to 50%. And to top it off, it's easy; making baby food at home is probably a lot less time-consuming than you may have thought.

In order to make your own baby foods, you'll need something to cook in. A steamer basket is cheap and by cooking fruits and vegetables in it, you'll be sure of keeping the nutrients in the food, instead of in the cooking water.

To puree your foods, you can use a fork, a food mill or blender. A blender quickly purees almost anything into the finest consistency. When your baby first starts on solids, you'll be pureeing things to a very fine consistency and, as baby gets a little older, you will make foods a little coarser.

You may wish to buy a food mill which comes in large and small sizes. It is very handy and inexpensive. The food mill strains most cooked foods to a very smooth consistency, although meats can be a problem as they will have a coarser texture.

As babies are susceptible to digestive upsets, you'll want to take note of the following tips concerning the handling of foods:
  • always work with clean hands
  • always use clean utensils
  • prepare foods immediately upon removing them from the refrigerator
  • freeze immediately after cooking any foods you want to store
You can prepare large amounts of foods at once and freeze them. Take your prepared foods and plop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Freeze the plops right away and then take them off the sheet when they are frozen and put them into plastic bags. Label and date. You can also freeze the food in plastic "pop out" ice cube trays. Small tupperware jars with lids serve the same purpose and stack easily. Frozen baby foods can be stored for up to two months.

When you take frozen foods out for baby, warm the food in a cup placed in a saucepan of boiling water with a lid on.

Cereals are typically the first foods given to a baby because they contain lots of iron. You can buy the commercial baby cereals, or prepare your own, by running oatmeal through your blender, for instance.

Fruits are generally given next. Except for raw, mashed banana, you will need to cook all other fruits till they are soft. Try making your own applesauce and pearsauce; don't add any sugar, as these fruits are sweet enough on their own. You can also peel peaches, plums and apricots and boil or steam them.

Use fresh vegetables whenever possible in order to provide the best nutrition and flavor for your baby. Frozen vegetables are better to use than canned. Steaming vegetables is the best method of preparation. Carrots and sweet potato are two popular choices to begin with.

Yogurt, mashed cottage cheese, mashed pumpkin, baked potato, avocado and tofu (oriental soy bean curd) are all popular with babies. One good idea is to blend together cottage cheese, banana and fresh orange juice - delicious!

Meats should be added slowly. They can be boiled or broiled, then put in the blender with a little milk and perhaps banana or cream of rice to get the right consistency. Chicken is generally the first meat baby is introduced to and usually goes down fairly well.

There is no rush to start your baby on solid foods. Milk is his most important food. Your doctor's recommendations and your own intuition will help you to know when to begin introducing solods to your baby's diet. Always remember to be patient with your baby and allow at least a few days between newly added foods to make sure baby doesn't suffer any reactions.

Baby food recipes

Great Veggies - For 10 months And Over
3 medium potatoes
8 ounces spinach
2 large cloves garlic

Peel and cube potatoes. Crush and peel garlic. Cook potatoes, spinach, and garlic with about 1/2 cup water for about 15 minutes over high heat, or until potatoes are soft.

Process all in a blender or food processor until very mushy. Freeze in ice cube trays overnight, then pop out cubes and store in another container in the freezer.

Yields 20 servings.

Chicken and Rice Dinner - 10 Months And Over
1/4 lb. ground chicken (you can use boneless breast cut in cubes if you are going to puree it)
1/2 cup peeled and chopped zucchini
1/2 cup sweet potato or yam, peeled and chopped
1/4 frozen, fresh, or canned corn
1/2 tsp. parsley
1 cup long grain, enriched rice
3 cups water Instructions:

Boil chicken in water for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Mash or puree

Chicken Stew - For 10 Months And Older
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
1 cup of Water
¼ lb. ground chicken (you can use boneless breast cut in cubes if you are going to puree it)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
½ cup yellow squash or summer squash peeled and chopped
¼ cup prepared barley (see instructions on the package for preparation) Instructions:

Bring chicken and water to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add vegetables. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add prepared barley. Mash or puree, depending on desired consistency.

Tomato Pasta - For 10 Months Or Older
1 tbs margarine
1/4 cup cheddar or mild cheese, finely grated
1 large tomato, skinned, seeded & chopped
1 teaspoon baby rice
1 tablespoon cottage cheese
1/2 cup Small Pasta Shapes

Cook the pasta according to directions on package.

Melt the margarine in a saucepan, add tomato and cook over a low heat for 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat,

Add the cheeses and allow to melt into a sauce. Finally stir in the baby rice.

Pour the sauce over cooked pasta and serve.

Spinach Pasta For 10 Months And Over
1/2 cup spinach, trimmed
1/4 cup mild cheese (Cheddar, Jack, Gouda), grated
1/4 cup uncooked small-shaped pasta
2 tablespoons milk/formula

Boil the spinach in a little water for about 5 minutes until tender, at the same time, cook the pasta according to direction on the package.

Once the spinach is cooked press out all the excess water.

Combine with cheese, pasta and milk and blend to make into a puree or chop for older babies.

Oatmeal Cookies - 11 Months Or Older
1 cup enriched all-purpose flour (you can use unbleached or cracked wheat flour for more nutrition)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon* (you should leave this out until your baby is 12 months old)
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar (optional, you can substitute ½ cup juice and add an extra ½ cup of oatmeal)
1 large egg
2 or 3 bananas, mashed and very ripe (we recommend pureeing them to get ALL the lumps out)
2 ¼ cups infant oatmeal cereal (you can use regular rolled oats but you won't get the extra vitamins. When using rolled oats, use 1 ¾ cups oats and 1 ½ cups flour)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl.
3. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar (or juice with the oatmeal).
Beat in the gg and bananas. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 1 ½ inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 12 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on rack.

Peach Cobbler - 6 Months Or Older
3 canned peaches (6 halves) OR 3 ripe peaches
1 egg yolk (for babies 6 months to 10 months, omit egg yolk and thicken with infant cereal)
1 tsp sugar

1. Peel and dice the peaches into small pieces.
2. Mash or puree to desired consistency.
3. Beat in the egg yolk and sugar until smooth. For babies age 6 months-10 months, omit egg and add infant cereal by 1 tablespoon, until you get the desired thickness.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min or until set. Cool before serving.

TOFU FINGER CUBES
Slice tofu into small cubes
Toss tofu in a Ziploc bag with crushed Cheerios, crushed graham crackers or crushed granola
Close bag and toss to thoroughly coat tofu cubes - You can serve this as finger food or a protein boost during meals

Business of the Month
If any of your clothes are in need of tayloring, I highly recommend Oscar's Tailor located at 8105-B Mesa Drive. I took in a pair of pants that had a hole in the pocket and they fixed it quickly and for a very reasonable price. You can also reach them by phone at 512-345-0235.
Services Offered by the Traub Law Office
estate planning tips image Why plan your estate? Here are some of the benefits:
  1. Establish guardianship for your minor or incapacitated children
  2. Establish trusts for minor children to prevent them from getting everything at once
  3. Establish trusts for minor children so they won't get everything at age 18
  4. Establish trusts for incapacitated adults to protect them from themselves
  5. Establish who can make medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated
  6. Establish who can pay your bills if you become incapacitated
  7. Specify what actions doctors should take if you are incapacitated and have an irreversible condition
  8. Leave property to charities and organizations
  9. Leave property to people who are not related to you
  10. Make sure property does not got to people you don't want it to go to
  11. Leave property to people or organizations you choose, rather than the State of Texas
  12. Reduce or eliminate Federal Estate Taxes
Here are some of the services I offer:
We would love to hear what you think of this issue of the Estate Planning Newsletter. And of course, if you have any suggestions for upcoming issues that you'd like to share with us, please send those, too! Just e-mail me.

P.S. My business is completely by referrals so if you know of someone who is in need of legal assistance, please send them my way. You have my promise I will provide excellent service!

P.P.S. If you liked this newsletter you can forward it to a friend or colleague.



This newsletter is designed for general information only. The information presented in this newsletter should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 132 € Austin, Texas 78731 € Phone: 512-343-2572 € Fax: 512-275-3786
Copyright © 2005 The Traub Law Office. All Rights Reserved