Is your baby teething? Homemade bread sticks are easy to make and are great teething biscuits for older babies. You can make bread sticks out of most any kind of bread by baking at a low temperature (150-200 degrees) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread sticks are hard and crunchy.

For the recipes below, after baking, let bread cool. Slice bread into "sticks" and bake at 150-200 degrees for 1 hour. Store in airtight container. Your baby will love it!

Banana Bread

1/2 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 3 bananas, mashed 2 cups flour 1/2 cup wheat germ 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs. Add mashed bananas and mix well. Blend in other ingredients. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for about 45 minutes.

Carrot Bread

2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups carrots, grated 3 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.

Apple Bread

3 cups flour 2 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/4 cups oil 2 apples, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients until well blended. Pour batter into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hour.

About the author:

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.