Patriotic Cupcakes

Any excuse to celebrate is my motto. I am the geeky Mom who has Valentine's Day decorations, St Patrick's Day fun, we even celebrated National Doughnut Day here in Chickenville. 

Complete with a blind taste test of the top two national doughnut brands. It was Krispy Kreme by a landslide (I'm raising them right).

I'm sure one day my kids will look at me and realize I'm a little holiday crazy, but until then, I keep on celebrating.

I made these cupcakes for Memorial Day, but they would be perfect for next week on the 4th of July. I bake this Fresh Strawberry Cake and icing recipe into cupcakes. Then topped with fun marshmallow stars from Walmart.  I got the big size, but they come smaller too which would be perfect for decorating mini cupcakes or even homeschool projects like these.

Soap Snowballs with a Surprise

As you may know, my kids are homeschooled, so really that means we don't ever "break" from school. I know it sounds like a drag, but I am vying for the title, "Meanest Mom in the World"! (I need a shirt that says that.) Actually my kids don't really know we are doing school some of the time. In fact, the other day when I was teaching my oldest daughter, Banana Girl, about price per unit in the grocery store, she said, "Mommy, if we don't hurry up and finish shopping, we are never going to get schoolwork done!" I looked at her and was like, "what exactly do you think we are doing right this very moment?" Of course she had no idea she was learning and I just smiled. While I'm not a fan of sneaking in kid's vegetables, I'm a huge fan of sneaking in some learning. It's a beautiful thing!

For our Christmas learning, we have been baking and wrapping and crafting. Banana Girl decided she wanted to make this crafty project from the trusty fave Family Fun magazine. They looked so sweet and snowy and will make the perfect gift on Christmas for the kids in our extended family. You could also keep the materials on hand for winter break in February. In fact, go ahead and pin this right now, get the materials next shopping trip and you'll be all ready for a snowy project, real snow optional.

Here's what you need:

• Ivory soap bars
• small plastic toys
• water
• cheese grater

I'll show you the way we did it and then what you should probably do instead! First, we bought WAY too much soap. We bought enough Ivory to keep us clean for a long while. I would say each soap snow ball takes about 1/2 a bar of soap, so you be the judge on how many you need.

The first step, is to grate the soap into shreds. As each bar of soap went in my precious Cuisinart food processor, I had a thought. I wonder if this will make my next batch of coleslaw taste a little soapy? I don't recommend the processor way since I had to clean (well it was my husband doing the actual washing) the processor about 4 times before the soap smell/taste came out - Ivory is some strong stuff! We actually ran the processor through the dishwasher first, which is the normal way we clean this appliance, but everything in the dishwasher came out with a thin film of soap on it!! Agghh, not worth the hassle, so in hindsight I'd say use your hand cheese grater.

Either way you choose, go slowly on the feed so you get shorts shreds of soap, not long strings. The shreds look more like real snow as you get farther in the snowball process. See what I mean...

Get the shredded soap in a large bowl, add warm water and mix up with your hands. With 8 bars of soap, we used about  7/8c of water. If you use 4 bars, then you'll need about a 1/2c. If it's pouring down rain around you, like it is here today, you'll probably use a little less because you don't want soap soup. The warm water should create a chunky, sloppy *but clean* mess. The Banana Girl LOVED it. I imagine my Sausage Boy would have enjoyed it as well. The good thing is, even if your kid is the one who won't put there hand in the pumpkin guts, this mess just rinses off and you are left squeaky clean.

After it's pretty well mixed up, squish some into a half ball - blob shape. This is a very technical step, so be sure it's in the blob shape. ;)

After you have a blob or glob if you like that better, put a small plastic toy in the middle of it, then pack more soap on top of it.

The idea is to seal the toy up so you can't see any of it. Then form it into a ball shape, packing it all together tightly. After you have a ball, set it on a tray and repeat the whole process until you are out of soap, trinkets or patience. As a sidenote, don't you just love the way little girl hands' look with the nail polish all chipped? What is it that makes this look so cute on them and so tacky on me?

Your soap snowballs will have to dry for about 3 days before you give them away or use them (again this depends on how much moisture is in the air). The tighter you pack and the drier the ball, the longer it will hold together when you use them. I pulled this one open to show you the inside after about 2 hours of drying time, it was still pretty wet.

We packaged ours up in cellophane paper with a wintery blue ribbon.

So are you ready to make some squeaky clean fun??? Remember pin it for later!! And I'd love for you to follow my pin boards, just click on the Pinterest link on the right (the big P). If you have no idea what I'm talking about, be warned it is addictive. The concept is a virtual pinboard to keep track of all the cool recipes, crafts, books, clothes, gifts, etc you see out there on the internet. Incredibly brilliant idea - just wish I thought of it!!

British Candy Poppers

We made these fun candy "poppers" (or crackers) for the kids' friends. They were really fast and easy to make. If you have candy, toilet paper or paper towel cardboard rolls, tissue paper and ribbon...you have all you need to make them. My almost-six year old tackled this project as one of the two she choose to make this year.

First, stuff the tp roll with as much candy as it will hold. Using leftover Halloween candy is optional, but highly recommended (after all, this is leaving your house which is a great thing).

Then wrap the roll with a section of colored tissue paper. I cut a package of the paper in half and that was a perfect width.

After it's all wrapper up, tie the sides of the paper with ribbon. You can add a note that tells the recipient to pull the ends of the paper apart to "POP" the gift open. For kicks, you can open them the traditional way. Have two people pull at the same time, one on each end, but then there is the inevitable drama of who gets more candy, so maybe not!

This gift is also a great teaching moment since they are originally an English tradition. We looked at the map and learned a little about Britain. My girl was pretty proud of herself after she made a bunch of these for her friends. If you need a last minute gift, this is an easy one.

The "Christian Scientists" - Halloween Costumes 2011

I had to share this year's Halloween costumes. This year we didn't do a book theme like we have in the past. Instead I used it as a way to homeschool at the same time. We all went as scientists. I was a geneticist, trying to create a child that looks like me, which I have failed at miserably. The others were: a rocket scientist, a neurologist, a herpetologist, marine biologist, neurologist, and botanist. You should have seen my daughter set people right when they guessed she was a "nurse"!

Sweet Potatoes are....Wait for It...Potatoes

 

Happy Labor Day! Here are some of the fruits, well vegetables, of my labor this summer. I've never grown sweet potatoes and they were surprisingly easy. That is, once I figured out where to find them!

Lest you think I know a lot about gardening, let me prove you wrong. I had one of those really stupid moments and my friend Sandy was there to witness me, in all my moronic glory. She and I were out for dinner one night and I was talking about my sweet potato vines. I relayed how healthy and vigorous the vines were, but every flower just seemed to fade out without producing any veggies! I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. She looked at me incredulously, as if I had suddenly grown two heads. She very quietly asked me if I looked under ground (I'm sure inside her head she added, "you idiot"). Slowly the light bulb came on...of course...sweet potatoes are POTATOES!! They grow under ground because they are a root vegetable, it says so right there in the name. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I knew this fact, but not ever having grown them and having all my OTHER veggies above ground, I lost sight of this very important bit of information.

Sure enough, I went home and looked at the ground around my vines, instead of gazing at the green plants. It was practically exploding with potatoes. How could I have missed this??!! I carefully dig them up and was rewarded with some "big 'ol whoppers" as my three year old says. They are monstrous! As a thank you to my dear friend for not rapping me on the head in the middle of dinner, I gave her some sweet potatoes straight out of the ground, dirt and all. :)

Hot Summer Water Fun for the Kids

 

This is something I save for a hot day with the littlest ones when I don't want to drag out a kiddie pool and watch their every move. I got out random containers from the recycling and our cabinets, measuring spoons, stirring spoons, cups, you name it. Then I fill a bunch of them (but not all) with water and let them go to town. They LOVE this and have such a ball making a big, wet, mess. Finally the water all ends up spilled out and we clean up everything. It's not a lot of work and it keeps them entertained for at least 30 mins.

Creamy Barley Mushroom Risotto

Comfort food, we all have something that reminds us of a great meal or memory or just is a favorite. Maybe it's mashed potatoes, chicken pot pie, peach ice cream,  or even cinnamon rolls. My husband would say his is sushi, so I guess it really CAN be anything! This dish is my definition of comfort food with a creamy texture, earthy smell and the recipe contains cheese. I came up with this dish after my husband and I took a trip to Italy. I really LOVED Italy, everything about it was amazing. The people were friendly and kind (I was pregnant at the time and they really love pregnant women). The historic sites were...well what exactly can you say about the Roman Colosseum? All you can do when you see it is to stare in awe. Much of Italy is like that with art, culture, history, agriculture and it's people all fascinating. And then there is the food. Mama mia! We enjoyed every single meal we ate there (and that is saying a lot). The simple meals in quick cafes were fresh and delicious. The working class meal we ate when we had no idea what we were getting (no Italian on our part and no English on theirs). We just pointed to some other people's plates and an incredible hearty lunch was served. Each meal is a process (except breakfast which is simply espresso and bakery item to go) and was made to enjoy - to savor. The best meal we had was at Ristorante Rinaldi al Quirinale in Roma. We went for a special dinner and came away wanting to move to Italy just to be able to eat at this place more than once. I remember wishing I wasn't pregnant so I could fit more food into my squashed belly!

We walked into the place pretty early for the regular crowd. We were greeted at the door with a display case of the vegetables available for eating. If it's not in season, you ain't getting it. Dinner in Italy is meant to be five courses: the antipasti (appetizer), primo (1st course, usually pasta, soup or risotto), secondo (your meat or fish dish), ordered with contorni (vegetable dishes or salad) and ending with dolci (dessert) then coffee or an apertif. I have no idea how anyone can eat all of this - even though dinners last several hours, it's still a LOT of food. The funny part, the Italians are shocked and maybe even a little offended when you don't order everything. But we'd already learned our lesson at previous places and knew we couldn't order it all. I started my meal with the most amazing risotto dish I've ever had...creamy rice, mushrooms and smoked provolone cheese. It was divine and I have been in love with risotto ever since.

Back home, I often recreated that dish (with never quite the same amazing results). This time, I decided to branch out a little. Risotto is white starchy rice (see previous post on other rice types here), and I was looking to make it a little healthier. I decided to use pearl barley which is a grain I adore. You can find it with the other dried peas and beans in the grocery store. It stays firm but tender when cooked like pasta, not mushy like oatmeal or some other grains. It doesn't have a strong flavor on it's own, so it adapts well with other flavors. I knew I wanted to use wild mushrooms. This interesting company called Marx Foods sent me several samples of wild dried mushrooms (which keep in your pantry forever just waiting for the perfect use). One package ended up in a miso soup to be written about later, but the shiitakes I knew would be perfect in a risotto. This recipe is an adaption from a couple I found out on the web. I was really thrilled how it all turned out and the whole family loved it.

Ingredients
1 c pearl barley
2 c water
4 c beef or vegetable stock (I made mine with the water I re hydrated the mushrooms in)
1 tbsp olive oil

1 c finely chopped onion

2 oz rehydrated shiitake mushrooms
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp chopped fresh sage
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp butter
1/8 tsp pepper
extra sage and Parmesan for garnish

Combine barley and water in a bowl. Let stand for 2 hours; drain. Heat stock to a simmer in the microwave. In large pan, heat the oil, then add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add mushrooms, salt, barley, warm stock, and sage to the pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally. The liquid will be absorbed into the barley and create a creamy base. Remove from heat stir in cheese, butter, and pepper. Serve with a little sage and cheese on top.

The Marietta Greek Festival

Need fun plans for this weekend? Check out the Marietta Greek Festival. It's held at Hold Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church off Trickum Road on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They have a gift market, singing and dancing, an art area for the kids, but most important - they have Greek food!!! Spanakopia, souvlakia, tzatziki, gryos, stuffed grape leaves, greek salad, baklava, pastries, cookies and more. The food was definitely my favorite part. If you go to their website, you can get free admission after answering a couple of questions. http://www.mariettagreekfestival.org/

My favorite greek salad dressing recipe is below just to get you in the mood.  I love this dressing anytime of year, but when the tomatoes are ripe and fresh in the summer, it's over the top good.

Absolutely Fabulous Greek/House Dressing from allrecipes.com

1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 1/4 tsp dried basil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar

Put all ingredients into closed container (glass or plastic) and shake REALLY well.  Store in fridge. These measurements will be enough for about 10 salads.

Promised Land Granola Bars

I love simple recipes that kids can help with. Even my two year old can make this one. It's very sweet and more like dessert bars than power bars, but you could add some wheat germ or flaxseed meal to up the nutritional quotient if you like. This one has no eggs, so you don't have to worry about them licking their hands. The reason it's so sweet is it was used at a previous Vacation Bible School to teach the kids how sweet life was when the Israelites entered the promised land, hence the name, Promise Land Granola Bars (which would make a great homeschool lesson). They are sticky goodness, but if you like a more chewy granola bar, check these out. They are more like Quaker Oatmeal bars. This recipe below reminds me of those cheap, Little Debbie granola bars you find near the other Little Debbie snacks. Like a snack/treat all rolled into one. My kids LOVE this one.


Promised Land Granola Bars

4 c oats
1 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c flaked coconut
3/4 c melted margarine
3/4 c orange marmalade

Grease a 9x13 or 10x15 inch pan. The smaller pan will make thicker bars. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Here's the part for the child...
Combine the oats, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add other ingredients and mix well.  Pour the mixture into the greased pan, pat down and bake for 12-15 mins (the deeper pan will need more time). Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Natl Cornbread Festival

The National Cornbread Festival is such a fun event in South Pittsburg, TN (near Chattanooga). We enjoyed going last year and hopefully will go back again this year (April 24th and 25th). It's a typical fair with a cooking contest rolled in. Sponsored by Lodge Cast Iron, you can even take a tour of the factory to see cast iron being made. Totally cool. We managed to get a free cast iron skillet by using a special coupon at their "seconds" store in town. The kids loved trying all the different cornbread recipes in Cornbread Alley, some sweet (apple cornbread fritters) and some spicy (cheddar jalapeno). It's a small town feel with RC Cola and Moon Pies everywhere, but big time fun for the kids. Hope to see you there!

Hot Cocoa Cones

These creations were what got me hooked on Family Fun magazine in the first place. I saw the article in Family Fun at a doctor's office and asked to take home the magazine. This was back when I only had one child and he was an infant, but I knew I would want to make these one day. I ripped out the page and kept it with my Christmas decorations for a few years. A few years later, when my son went into preschool, I whipped out the magazine page, all matted and folded, but readable and made these for teacher gifts.

These are so fun and easy for the kids to make. The kids had no problems putting the toppings on. We made our own hot chocolate mix with cocoa powder, instant milk, sugar and a little cinnamon for kick.

Hot Cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups powdered instant milk

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbsp cinnamon (optional)

Mix all together in a large bowl. Will keep for all winter. You use about 3 Tbsp with hot water for yummy hot cocoa.

Put some of the hot chocolate mix in a cone shaped cello bag and then double bag it in another. Then roll the inner bag down and tuck it in. Put all of this in a sturdy mug to hold it up for the kids while they do the next part. The kids add toppings, some had peppermint, some had instant coffee (for the mailman and the bus driver). We used a red gumdrop on the top for the cherry. I think these would be a great favor gift for any winter birthday party. Maybe an activity for the tween sleepover?? You could use sugar snowflakes inside to make them more wintery or crushed hard blue mint candies.  Or make it more "adult" and use candied ginger or dried orange zest.  Yummy!

Bee Bim Bop

This is Bee Bim Bop, or "mixed up rice" in Korean. My brother spent some time in Korea while he was in the Army. He brought back a love of Korean food and shared it with the family. Since then we occasionally go out for Korean food, but it's kinda pricey at a restaurant.

When the kids and I were at the library one day, I came across this book, "Bee Bim Bop" by Linda Sue Park. I knew we had to check it out. As a bonus, there is a recipe for bee bim bop in the back of the book!! In truth, bee bim bop is as unique to each family as vegetable soup and cornbread is to southern families, each house putting their own "spin" on it. But we did follow the recipe pretty faithfully and it was delicious. Better than the version we'd had at the Korean restaurant. I highly recommend giving this a read and making "mixed up rice" for dinner one night.

Bee Bim Bop

2 c rice
1 lb sirloin tip beef, sliced thinly
2 carrots, peeled and julienned (cut into thin strips)
1 lb spinach

1 lb mung beans

4 eggs
cabbage, sliced into strips (optional)
oil
salt and pepper

Beef Marinade:
2 minced cloves of garlic
2 green onions, chopped
5 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp seasame oil
1/8 tsp pepper

Put all marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Add beef and mix well. Throughout the cooking of this meal, mix the beef so the marinade coats everything.

Cook rice according to package directions or in an awesome rice cooker like this. I recommend long grain or sushi rice.

Heat a little vegetable oil in a small skillet. Whisk eggs in a bowl until combined. Pour 1/4 of the eggs into hot skillet and then flip to make an egg pancake. Cook all four eggs like this. Stack them on a cutting board and cut thin strips of eggs. Place on a warm platter. (If you keep this platter in the oven on a very low heat, everything wil stay warm.)

In the same hot skillet add more oil if needed and saute the julienned carrots until tender. Put on platter.

In the same skillet add 1/2 c water and 1/4 tsp salt. When the water steams, add the mung beans and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and put on platter.

Now heat a large skillet with another bit of oil. Add fresh spinach to the skillet and saute until tender about 3 minutes. Add to platter. Repeat this same step with cabbage.

The last step is to cook the beef. In the large hot skillet add a little more oil. When hot add the beef and the marinade and cook for 2-3 minutes until the meat is browned. Add the meat to your platter. Bring the marinade beef juices to a boil for 1 minutes. Pour the juices into a gravy boat or mug.

To serve: put a scoop of rice into a bowl. Let each person pick out toppings including the beef and veggies. Pour a little of the pan juices over the top. Then mix it all up with your chopsticks (hence the name Bee Bim Bop) and enjoy!

Sweet {Potato} Face

Deep in the potato bin, we found this lovely "sweetie". With her curly pink hair, she just had to become a plaything. So I drew on a face and presented her to the Banana Girl. It was love at first site.

What a Chicken Really Eats

When a chicken is left to it's own devices, they will forage like there is no tomorrow. They enjoy eating every bug and worm they spot. So forget this nonsense about "vegetarian" hens. They like their protein. They will also eat seeds, berries, snails, grasses and other plants. In the coop we feed them laying pellets, but they really enjoy their time out in the yard.

We did finally name them all (yes I am getting a little attached). The brown one above is Lovey and she is very sweet. The brown and white one below is Goldilocks (guess who named her). The black and white one below is Petunia and the black one is Obsidian. I figured we could have a little geology lesson built into the naming project.