A little of this and that...

Here are a few fun things I've been up to with the boys...

My 3 year old likes variety at lunch so I love the idea of the muffin tin lunches. He thought it was fun too, and they are so easy to make!
The boys and I made these rainbows for St. Patrick's Day.  They were fun and easy.  I cut out a rainbow form out of card stock.
I then cut up paper into small pieces and then the boys helped me crinkle them up.  We then glued them onto the card stock and added cotton balls for the clouds.

This was a "silly snack" I made the boys after school the other day.  It is a hard boiled egg cut in half.  I used strawberries for the ears and a food safe marker for the eyes and a chive tail (which you can't see, but it worked well).  And, of course, cheese!  They thought this was pretty cool.

Enough fun for one day!

A is for Apple...

I have begun working on the letters with my 3 year old. He knows most of them and their sounds, but this way I am hoping they will really stick. We are working on recognizing and writing the upper and lower case. Practicing the sounds they make and words that start with each letter.  This has been fun so far.  I'm only on "A" though.  I think he is enjoying it.  We pick out books to go with the letter and then I try to adapt the craft to it.  Here is what we did for letter A...

we read "Alligator Boy"

We made an Alligator with the letter "A"

He turned out pretty cute

We also read "The Apple Pie Tree"
This was a great book.  He really enjoyed it!

We made an apple with the lower case "a"

It turned out well too; although, he said it didn't look like an apple...I think it did???

Our upper and lower case letter "A"

I also made him an "A" lunch.  Airplane sandwich, "A" cheese on pretzels, an apple and yogurt with animal sprinkles

The we read the letter "A" section from the above book, which my cousin wrote and illustrated for the boys (she did an amazing job too, which you will see!!!)

and if you read the book, "Apple Pie Tree" you have to make apple pie

Yummy!!!  All 3 Boys loved this.  Now, on to letter "B"

If you are interested in the recipe for the apple pies here it is to the best of my ability.  I kind of made it up as I went along:

The Crust
4 C. All-Purpose flour
1 1/2 C. lard or shortening
1 t. baking powder
1 T. brown sugar
1 t. salt
In a bowl mix:
1 egg
1 T. vinegar
1/2 c. ice water

Mix dry ingredients, and add shortening; mix until pea sized, by hand or in a food processor.  Add mixed liquids until a ball forms.  Form into a log and divide into 4 pieces, making 4 crusts.

I cut this in half for what I made and it made 4 of the above pies.  I rolled the dough and used a bowl and cut the dough into circles (I guess you could also just roll out 4 circles, but mine don't ever turn out in perfect circles)

The Filling
3 Medium apples - Pealed and Diced
1 T. butter
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 t. cinnamon

Melt the butter on low heat and add the brown sugar and cinnamon until dissolved.  Add in apples and cook until slightly tender.

Spoon the filling onto half of the circle and then fold over.  Crimp the edges with a fork and poke a few holes in the top.  Brush them with milk and if you choose, top them with sugar.

Bake at 350^ until golden.  (This is where I'm not sure.  I'm guessing they were in there 15-17 minutes.)

We topped them with the small bit of left over filling we had!

Enjoy!!!

Fun Food

I was going to post another muffin recipe, but I haven't taken pictures of them yet, so it will have to wait. In the mean time, here are some fun things that I have made for the boys recently...

My oldest, who is in Kindergarten, usually eats hot lunch, but when he doesn't I try to make him something fun.  Here is a bologna sandwich with gold fish and blueberries & cucumbers.

   

This is the VERY YUMMY Creamy Hazelnut Dip I made the other night for Date Night.  Was it every good.  I highly recommend it!

This was actually my oldest's sons design.  He wanted a "silly snack" after school, with which I was unprepared, so this is what he came up with.  It's a frog.  I made him a lunch that matched today, so I'll try to post it sometime too.

I made this a while ago, but just loved it and had to share it!

This was a very tasty dinner.  I'll share the recipe below, to the best of my ability.  I made it up and didn't write it down.  This is the big kid version.

This is the one year old version.

These were quesadilla.  I made a filling of canned black beans that I pureed  and to that added sour cream and cumin.  Then I mixed shredded cheddar cheese and a carrot puree.  I spread the bean mixture on a tortilla then topped it with the cheese mixture and  put the top tortilla on.  Then I baked it in the oven, I'm guessing at 350^ until the filling was melted and they were a bit browned.

Sorry for the lousy directions, but I really don't remember exactly what I did or amounts I used, but they were really good!!! 

Date Night...Friday Night

So I'm looking forward to tonight.  We are having an, after the kids go to bed, date night.  For Valentines day I usually don't buy gifts, I try to make them.  For Keith this year, thanks to Pinterest, I came up with a couple good ideas for him. He LOVES chocolate chip cookie dough, so first, I made him these...

Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

you can find the recipe here: http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2010/01/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-truffles.html

Well, not these actual ones.  I did attempt to shape them into hearts.  They turned out pretty cute.  I'm not sure why I didn't get a picture.  Oh well.  I guess they were gone to quickly!

Second, I gave him an envelope full of 12, pre-planned date nights.  One per month.  He has been really busy at work so we are just now getting to February.  Most of my ideas are inexpensive and some of them, we just stay in.  No babysitter needed.

Our plan for tonight is to stay in, snack on Creamy Hazelnut Dip which was made with Nutella.  You can never go wrong with Nutella. We are also going to plan our "dream" weekend getaway...if only it weren't a dream.  Oh well.  I think we are going to check out Canada...some day maybe.  At least we will know where we want to stay if that day ever comes!

Well...now to play Wii with the boys.

Our Favorite Banana Muffins

I Love Banana Bread and Muffins. After much searching I found this recipe that I really like. It is simple, easy to make and very tasty. I have made them as the recipe called for as well as with the substitutions listed below and they turned out well both ways.


Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!!!

Basic Banana Muffins  

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( I have also used white wheat flour)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 medium ripe bananas
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil ( I have also used apple sauce)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, mash the bananas. Add egg, oil and vanilla; mix well. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full.
• Bake at 375° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 1 dozen.

Nutritional Facts1 serving (1 each) equals 209 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 18 mg cholesterol, 209 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Originally published as Basic Banana Muffins in Taste of Home December/January 1998, p14

Valentine's Day

Here are some fun (and easy) things we did for Valentine's Day this year.

Brownie Pops using the Wilton Brownie Pops Pan dipped in chocolate and sprinkles. Great after school snack!

Valentine Hearts decorated with random stuff from around the house.  Super easy and the kids loved it!

the boys, boys, valentines

the boys, girls, valentines

some more yummy stuff...sugar cookies with butter cream icing and candy

chocolate cupcakes with cherry butter cream icing

valentine's day breakfast

valentine's day lunch
(sorry for the picture quality of the last two pictures...valentine's day was dreary, but only outside)

Paper Heart Doilies on Twine
Super Easy and Inexpensive Decorating