Making Salsa

Yikes! I'm behind on posting.....

The boys helped make the salsa for Family Camp 2011

Adam slicing tomatoes...

I chopped habanero peppers for the hot salsa and the smell was bothering their eyes, so they decided to wear their goggles!

Apple Dumplings

1. Peel and core your apples.

2. Wrap with pie dough.

3. Stuff cinnamon and brown sugar down the middle of the apple.

4. Bring some cider and butter to boil in a pot on the stove. Pour around the dumplings in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until apples are soft and pastry is golden.

Monster Cookies

I've been looking for a signature cookie recipe. HERE IT IS!

The ingredients

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup multi-colored M&M's
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, each
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal(not instant)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

The Assistants

The results- YUM!

Sketch Tuesday- desserts

This was fun!

Blueberries Muffins and Tea

Abby Jane had her cousin, Anna Belle, over for the day. They were busy, busy, busy.

Writing invitations to friends for their Tea Party.

Making muffins.

Having Tea and crumpets, I mean, muffins.

Blueberry Muffins

2 1/2 cups pancake mix

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup oil

1 1/2 cup blueberries fresh or frozen

In a large bowl, combine pancake mix and sugar. In another bowl, whisk the egg, water and oil. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in berries.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 4oo degrees for 14-16 minutes.

Pomegranates

Today was an impromptu pomegranate day. It all started last night when I noticed that our grocery was selling pomegranates. I've never tried one so I bought a few. Well, Abby Jane came to me today wanting to read this Greek Myth: Persephone by Sally Pomme Clayton.

As you may already know, the story tells of Persephone who was kidnapped by Hades, the god of the underworld. While there, she eats three pomegranate seeds and therefore must return forever after for three months out of the year. I mentioned that we actually had a few pomegranates in the kitchen so we went to c heck them out:

I admitted that I didn't actually know how to eat a pomegranate so Caleb suggested that we google it. You can check that out here. So, next we cut it open and this is what we saw: seeds!

This was very interesting to us because we have been studying seeds this fall on our nature hikes. Also, Wikipedia informed us that pomegranates are native to the Mediterranean and Middle East where they grow on shrubs and small trees. In the Jewish tradition pomegranates symbolize righteousness.

Upon trying the pomegranate, Ethan announced that this was his new favorite fruit. I must also add that is also a very messy fruit. Abigail looked like she had chicken pox after she got done eating.

We also found this painting by Botticelli called Madonna of the Pomegranate.

We also decided to sketch the pomegranate- a nice subject to practice shading.

I decided to do some research on how to use the seeds besides just eating them with our fingers.Check out a recipe for a salad using pomegranate seeds here. (Maybe I'll get the kiddos to eat spinach!) And here is a chicken dish!

Lastly, we made a word web of adjectives and phrases to describe the pomegranate. I used these to write a poem. Here it is....

Ode to the Pomegranate

Our initial glimpse reveals your crown and apple-like skin.
But upon first touch we discover that you are different.
We slice and find a star shaped cavity filled with irridescent crimson jewels.
Your luscious seeds start with a burst of juice and end with a crunch.

Can You say Cherry Pie?

So, for a few weeks there I was obsessed with cherries and Cherry Crumb Pie. My sister-in-law has a cherry tree so I would go pick cherries and then make a pie. There is just something satisfying about harvesting your own fruit and then baking....anything! However, this meant that I did quite a bit of entertaining so that we didn't have to eat all of the pies. Finally, Mike said, "Stop making pies!" (We are on a weight loss program and the pies were not helping.....) Anyway, standing up in the tree one day with branches in my hair and a stiff wind blowing, I had a poetic inspiration. Here is a Cherry Haiku:

Golden red goodness dangling
Just beyond my reach
Worth the peril- don't look down!

And the recipe:

Cherry Crumb Pie

Ingredients

Pie Crust- I use store bought.

• Filling
• 2-1/2 - cups sour cherries
• 1/2 - cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 - cup light brown sugar
• 2 - Tablespoons flour
• 2 - Tablespoons butter
• l/2 - cup water or cherry juice
• Crumbs
• 3/4 - cup flour
• 3/4 - cup sugar
• 1/4 - teaspoon salt
• 1/4 - cup butter
• 1/2 - teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

1. Roll out crust, and line 9-inch pie dish.
2. Dredge with a little flour and sugar and dot with butter.
3. In a saucepan, add and mix flour, sugar, and water or cherry juice to a smooth paste.
4. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens.
5. Add balance of butter and cook a minute longer.
6. Remove from heat, mix with cherries, cool, then pour into pie shell.
7. For crumbs, mix flour, sugar, and salt, blend with butter, add nutmeg or cinnamon (or substitute vanilla or lemon juice) and when mixture breaks into crumbs sprinkle thickly over cherries.
8. Bake for 45 minutes.

Crepes By Suzette

We have just read a fantastic book- Crepes by Suzette by Monica Wellington. This book includes all of the things that I think make a good book: a map in the front, a foreign setting, words in another language, interesting illustrations AND a recipe in the back! So, today we made crepes for breakfast. (I have been wanting to learn to make crepes ever since we went to Quebec City last fall....) We made the batter yesterday and chilled overnight as recommended. Then, this morning I just heated the skillet with a little butter, poured the batter and voila! It was easier than I thought and I don't even have the right equipment yet. I just used a regular frying pan and spatula but I would like to get a flat skillet and a long, flat spatula- see above photo. Anyway, we added orange marmalade to one (Adam has been wanting to try it as it is Paddington Bear's favorite) and the rest we made with strawberries. Yum.

This One's for Heidi.....

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..

Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Erin's notes: My kids liked this but I think that if we would have had the chocolate chips, it would have made it better. Also, the serving is BIG so two kids could easily share. Also, we added whipped cream to the top. Ice cream would be good too!

Making Pretzels

Over the weekend we read a book called "Pretzels by the Dozen" by Angela Elwell Hunt which tells about the history of pretzel making. Of course, there was a pretzel recipe at the end of the book and of course, we had to make pretzels this morning. They were yummy although I TRIED not too eat much.....

Here's to Never Making Spaghetti Again!

Caleb has learned to cook his first dinner- Spaghetti. It happens to be one of his very favorites so he was excited to learn. We usually have a salad and fruit also but, hey, we are starting easy. I have been inspired lately by a few veteran moms about training my children to help around the house. Here is a quote from one of my favorite blogs, Higher Up and Further In:

"We clean up after ourselves as much as possible and share equally in the housework. We begin this training when a child is two years old by teaching her to clean up her toys as soon as she wants to do something else. A three year old learns to make his own bed using a simple small comforter; a four year old can dress herself, comb her hair, brush her teeth and clean her room daily, dust and run errands throughout the house. Five year olds also empty trash cans, put away silverware, set a table, etc…An eight year old can learn to cook. A ten year old can clean an entire kitchen and a 13 year old can run a household with very little help. Not only this, they can do it cheerfully, achieving self-confidence, all the while developing a servant's heart. Think: Mothers who are maids raise lazy children."

This blog is written by Linda Fay. You can check it out here. Anyway, we sure did enjoy Caleb's cooking and look forward to more in the future!

Ethan's Favorite Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cup of flour
3/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs
1/2 cup of oil
1 cup of pureed pumpkin

Mix dry ingredients first. Then mix wet and add to dry. Pour into a loaf pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
We also sometimes use whole wheat flour and flaxseed/wheat germ to make it healthier. All my kids like to bake but Ethan LOVES his pumpkin bread!

Gingerbread Men Continued

Today was fun.... we read Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett and colored/cut out paper gingerbread men. Then we had to decorate and eat real gingerbread cookies of course! They were perfect- moist, chewy and spicy but not too sweet like sugar cookies can be for me. Here is the recipe for those who are interested:

1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Mix butter and sugar together until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine dry ingredients and blend into molasses mixture until smooth. Cover and chill for at least one hour.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out with cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheets two inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Decorate when cool.

Gingerbread Men