Snow Ice Cream

Cabin fever has set in after a week of my kiddos having the cold.  Luckily, this suggestion for making snow ice cream was in my oldest son's homeschool lesson for the day.  Their recipe said to add sweetened condensed milk or cream and powdered sugar, but we had neither of those, so I just added chocolate milk.  The boys reported that it tasted like a Frosty.  Eat it up right away because it doesn't keep in the freezer : )

My Crouton Plan

Remember on the TV show Friends when Monica was trying to get over her ex-boyfriend Richard?  She became obsessed with making jam.  She called it her "jam plan for getting over her man". 

Thankfully all is well here on the home front, but we have some stressors that have made me a little weird about....croutons.  I find making them relaxing.  Yes, I am SUPER weird.  I also hate wasting the heels on a loaf of bread. 

  Every few days, I cut up the heels, stir in a tablespoon or two of olive oil, mix in about 1/2 T. herbs de Provence (you could use garlic salt, seasoned salt, etc.) and then throw them in the oven for 10 minutes or so, stirring every few minutes.  If the big oven isn't heated up for something else, I just broil them in my toaster oven to save on energy.  There you have it, folks!  Stress reducing croutons!!!!

Mocha Minus Dairy

  I tweaked this recipe from a mocha containing almond milk (which I don't like).  I miss my hot chocolates and mochas made with milk, but after limiting dairy while nursing, my tummy doesn't like the lactose anymore (boo!).  So here's my version of a dairy free mocha:

1 c. coconut milk (I prefer plain, not vanilla flavored)
1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T. agave nectar, honey OR sugar
1 cup coffee

Warm coconut milk and whisk in cocoa and sweetener.  Don't let the coconut milk boil, otherwise it gets funny tasting.  Add in coffee and serve.

This would be great with a sprinkle of cinnamon or a dash of vanilla.  I might also try this with Cafix (a coffee substitute that I'm obsessed with) instead of regular coffee.  You can find Cafix at Amazon.com or at health food stores.

Juice Fever

I've noticed an big increase in interest in juicers lately.  In fact, I just read an article in the Wall Street Journal about juicing this morning.  Check it out here.  It seems like many of you are making good on your 2013 resolution to eat more fresh fruits and veggies.  Good job!  If you're interested in finding out more, check out the film Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.  (No, I have not done a juice fast!)  The man featured in the movie's website is Reboot with Joe.  You can find a number of juice recipes there.

I have a juicer that I admittedly don't use as much as I should, but when I do get it out, my kids and I really enjoy the process and the fruits (and veg) of our labor.  I have an Omega Juicer (model 8003).  I purchased it because I heard it had a heavy duty motor that would last a really long time.  I wish the feeding tube was a bit wider so I didn't have to cut up my produce into narrow strips, but other than that, it works great.

My favorite book of juice recipes is The Juicing Bible 2nd ed. by Pat Crocker.  It has an extensive listing of the fruits, vegetables, and herbs and their uses and benefits.  It also lists conditions that can be helped by certain juices.  (I did not see any recipes recommended for "mom of 3 boys", but it has everything else imaginable.) The rest of the book is full of juice and smoothie recipes.

Happy juicing!!

 

Quickie Candy Cane Project

I love a project that contains ingredients that you already have on hand.  This is a great way to remind kids that Christmas is about the birth of Christ!  

 Before we started our work in the kitchen, we read The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg.  It went over the characteristics of the candy and what they represent.

• The "J" shape that stands for Jesus
• The shape (when upright) is a shepherd's staff, the first people to find out about the birth of Jesus.
• The red representing that "by His stripes we are healed".
• The white representing how Christ can wash us clean from sin.
• How, like the candy, the story of Christ's birth and redemptive work should be shared with everyone.

We melted a 1/2 c of chocolate chips in the microwave.  (I checked their progress every 30 seconds until they were melted.)  Dip your candy in, tap off the excess chocolate, decorate, and enjoy with cocoa once the chocolate sets.

Cranberry Corn Bread

I got the general idea for this bread from a recipe on my go-to website for recipes (www.tasteofhome.com), but modified it quite a bit because I didn't want to add a cup of white sugar and a ton of butter!  The bread came out almost like a dessert.  It was very moist.  If you wanted it more "crumby" (totally not a word) I would try reducing the amount of milk by a few more tablespoons.  Remember, you need to make some other adjustments to your recipe if you're going to substitute oil for butter or agave nectar for sugar.  www.ehow.com has good guidelines for these types of substitutions.  Here's my recipe with the modifications already made for you:

Ingredients:

1/4 c butter, softened

2 1/2 Tbs oil

2/3 c agave nectar

2 eggs

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 c cornmeal

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 1/4 c buttermilk

1 c cranberries, halved

In a bowl, mix together the butter, oil and agave nectar.  Add eggs and mix well.  Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.  Add to the agave nectar mixture alternately with the buttermilk.  Fold in cranberries.  Transfer to a greased 9-in square baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Serve warm.  Yield: 9-12 servings.

Decking the Halls and Other Shenanigans

 The first year decorating a new house is always a challenge.  Our house is cozier than the last, so my goal was to use many of my favorite decorations without overwhelming our space.  I'm not sure if I succeeded, but I gave it a good try : )  

This clock plays music and the train moves each hour.  My older two run into the office each time it starts.

 I treasure the old-timey ornaments from my grandma.  This funky tree helps me display some that would otherwise get lost on our over-filled Christmas tree.

 I love nativity scenes

A wintertime bird on her nest

 The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

 I thought the artwork that usually anchors the mantle was too busy with all the rest of the decorations, but I couldn't leave the wall blank b/c the previous homeowners left big holes where their tv mount had been.  I found a nativity scene online, printed it, and put it in an old frame.  It's not completely centered over the mantle, which bugs me, but it's way better than looking at holes, right?  

 Our centerpiece needs to be narrow since my boys are a bit boisterous at mealtime.

 I love a tiered stand for displaying pieces that would otherwise clutter the countertop.  The bottom bowls hold fruit, peppermint candy corn, and tea.

 An old muffin tin houses potpourri and candles.  Cranberry Chutney from Yankee Candle is my favorite holiday scent.

 My boys are forever jangling these metal ornaments as they go up and down the stairs, but oh well!  We'll say it's a "holiday sound".

 A friendly snowman graces our closet door.

 A door bucket welcomes winter guests.

 The older boys share a tree in their room.  They'd have it lit all day every day if they had their way.