Holiday Baking

We were supposed to have a snowstorm this weekend. We got the snow part, but missed the storm, which is fine by me. Of course, I grew up in Ohio, and what New Mexicans call a snowstorm, we call "Tuesday."

At any rate, I was happy to have a weekend in to get some holiday baking done. I always say I'm not going to do any, but I can't resist. It's funny how much less I get done each year, though...between C., my bull in a china shop, knocking bowls over; S., demanding a taste of every ingredient and final product; and L., who is perfectly content as long as you are holding him every single minute, things just take a tiny bit longer. We did manage a few goodies, though:

It won't rotate. Just tilt your head.

We started off with peanut butter Hershey Kiss cookies, so the kids could help with the kisses. C. made sure each of his went exactly in the center, while S. just picked a spot and smashed them in as hard as she could. I told them they could eat a kiss when they had finished their tray, so the entire process went: Unwrap kiss. Smash random cookie glob. "I eat candy?" "No, honey, you need to finish your tray first." Unwrap. Smash. "I eat chocolate?" "Not yet." And so on. I was so busy making sure she wasn't licking each one before smashing it in, I forgot to take a picture. So, we made another batch today. And I discovered my camera battery was dead. So, all you get is the finished product:


Next I decided to make Cinnamon Mocha Puffs, because we still had some instant coffee from M's brownies. They are supposed to be somewhat cakelike, and I thought they'd be good rolled in powdered sugar after baking.

No, those are not miniature cow patties. They actually taste pretty good. Once I got them scraped off the NON-STICK cookie sheets, though, there wasn't much I could roll in anything. That's okay, I'm thinking warmed up and served with ice cream...

This is the second batch, with double the flour. Much more roll-able. And probably still good with ice cream. I probably won't find out, though, because Daddy keeps eating them.

Next were plain old chocolate chip cookies. At which point I ran out of flour. And vanilla. So I started making no-bake peanut chocolate oatmeal clusters - and discovered I was out of oats. After I had already started mixing. So I used cereal instead.

Another one that looks like some animal's byproduct, but I promise they taste much better than that! Not that I would know. I mean, I do know that these taste good, I just don't know how they would actually compare with...

I'll stop there.

Okay, so, no oats, no vanilla, no brown sugar. Quick check of blogs: The Pioneer Woman to the rescue, with Cranberry and Pecan Cornbread (okay, she called them mini corn loaves, but I didn't have a mini loaf pan.) Yummy! Especially with the maple syrup butter. Some of those will make it into holiday baskets, but one already disappeared over breakfast.

Poor Daddy was at a conference in Albuquerque, and after a long drive home Saturday, was prevailed upon to stop and get baking staples. The first thing I made Sunday were Buckeyes. If you live in Ohio for any length of time, it is a state law that you must make Buckeyes over the holidays. If you move out of state, you can skip a year or two, but you don't want to push it, or you may not be allowed across state lines again to visit. I have been pushing it - I was appalled when I realized my family doesn't even know what those are!

They are pretty easy to make, but I started having issues when it came time to dunk them. I don't usually mind generic ingredients, but it seems Lowe's chocolate chips do not work well for dipping things. When I FINALLY got them to melt, and dunked the first ball in, the chocolate slid right off! Yuck. Fortunately, I still had a bag of Hersheys, and that melted fine. Sort of. I kept thinking I had it smooth, then I would dunk and get lumps. And if I didn't have lumps, the balls were falling off the toothpicks (yes, I froze them with the toothpicks in - they were just punishing me for my neglect.) So, they aren't pretty:

But, looks aren't everything. He looks lonely, doesn't he? There were more. Talk to M. about that.

Once that was done, everything else went well - Snickerdoodles, Rum Raisin Cookies, Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies. I meant to make more, but...there was snow!

And smiling babies. Could you look at that and NOT scoop it up to cuddle? Me neither. And the snow is still coming down, so - if I'm not at work tomorrow, it may be because of the snow. Or it may be because of the cookies. Or it may be because of the cuddling.

New Books and Christmas Ideas- Scholastic Version

This week I am spending a lot of time sitting in the Scholastic Book Fair being hosted at our Library, and when we are not busy, there isn't much I can do except read. Such a terrible position to be in! Here are some of the titles we have for sale, most of which will hopefully also be on our shelves soon.

A very satisfying read by the author of The Clockwork Three. Over 300 pages, but I read it in a couple hours. Solveig, her brother the crown prince, and her beautiful older sister are trapped in a hidden fortress built on a glacier. With them are a few trusted servants, a small army of berserkers...and a traitor. A little romance, quite a bit of mystery, and mostly a discovering-who-you-are novel. I thought I knew who the traitor was, then I discovered I was wrong, then I discovered I really wasn't. The ending was perhaps to tidy, but satisfying.

Gift Idea: Pair with some good nonfiction about the Vikings or Norse gods, particularly Odin. If you are feeling especially brave, give your little berserker a spear or hammer...or maybe just a stuffed raven:)

This is an older book, and obviously a sleeper - it sits on the sale table here, and I almost didn't pick it up. Very cute story, disembowlings and beheadings aside. Sort of a humorous medieval adventure-slash-love triangle. I wasn't happy with the ending, but a younger teenage girl probably would be.

Gift Idea: Hmm. Well, you probably wouldn't want to gift your 13yo the tools of a hangman's trade. There is much talk of medieval clothing, though, and you can definitely have fun with that. Hats - and hatboxes - figure in rather prominently, and would make a fun present, either for wearing or for decorating.

This one comes with a CD, but that's kind of missing the point, isn't it? This collection of favorite stories and poems will give you plenty of read-alouds for bedtime or any time, and have enough variety to keep from getting stale too soon.

Gift Idea: This one needs to be paired with your TIME. A card promising a story every night without fail. A gift certificate for one rainy afternoon of cuddling and reading. A plan to act out a story or two, using the CD as your background.

Do you know a young lady who is at times a bit overexhuberant, or perhaps, erm, a little overbearing (no pun intended)? Then she may identify with Lucy, who sets out one day determined to make a new friend - one way or another. I'm not sure that any sort of lesson is learned, but I think it's going to make a great read-aloud.

Gift Idea: Stuffed animals (particularly bears and flamingos) come to mind, or a gift certificate for a special day with your little reader and one of her friends.

We have a whole table full of holiday books, some new and some traditional. This is definitely one of the prettiest. As you explore the beautiful, jewel-colored illustrations, you'll start finding hidden images of some of the previous gifts.

Gift Idea: One parent has already mentioned how this book might inspire some artwork - in her husband! Pair the book with some good oil paints and canvas, and see what kinds of masterpieces your young artist can come up with.

I always let the kids pick out a book or two at each book fair, and then grab some more later as gifts. S. was in today with Grandma, and spent quite some time picking things up and putting them back down (somewhere other than where they went, of course.) I was quite proud of the fact that she skipped over all the princessy books and went first to one with a komodo dragon on the cover, but I'm especially happy that this is the one she settled on. She probably just liked the colors, but if you know anything about Alice Roosevelt - and about S. - you know why this is a perfect match.

Gift Idea: The book talks a lot about Alice wanting to "gobble up the world", and about the fact that she was laregly self-taught. Use this book as a springboard to find out what your young lady dreams of doing someday, and gift appropriately from there. Oh, and get her a green garden snake. Or a monkey. Probably a snake would be better. And more legal.

McDonald's Fail

News Flash: If I am eating at McDonald's, it's not because I crave nutrition. I appreciate having options like salads, and occasionally that is what I will choose. In general, though: I am eating at McDonald's because I want something fast and cheap that will fill me up. I don't have a huge appetite, so a Happy Meal - burger and fries - USED TO be enough. Until today, when we stopped at the one at Walmart before doing some quick grocery shopping.

C., S. and I got Happy Meals, and discovered the french fries have been somewhat downsized:

There were all of, like, four french fries in there. That may be a slight exaggeration, but only a slight one. It is accompanied by a packet of four tasteless looks-like-apple slices. No dipping sauce, no cookies. It seems McDonald's is going to force healthy choices on our kids by giving them choking hazards that make them associate fruit with styrofoam. Needless to say, this did not fill me up. It didn't even fill C. up, and he is a notoriously light eater. He polished everything off and asked plaintively, "Is there more food?" Poor kid! (Don't worry, this isn't a Dickens novel, we got him more.)

I did check, and you can request a 'regular' Happy Meal - if you know to do so. I'm just glad we hadn't gone through a drive thru and been stuck with the diet special.  Apparently, this started in July, and it has just now trickled into NM. McD's did it to appease what they say was parental pressure (i.e. the parent currently in the White House) to make the meals healthier.

Guess what, people? If your kid is fat, it isn't McDonald's fault. My kids eat there occasionally, and are quite healthy and active. They are that way because of choices I help them make, or that I make for them. Get who is making the choices there? Me, not the government, not the company execs wanting a PR stunt. Eating at a fast food place sometimes does not make you a bad parent. Letting your kids have junk food sometimes does not make you a bad parent. Letting them watch TV, get dirty, play with bugs, etc., do not make you a bad parent. Expecting someone else to make those decisions for you? Yep, that would do it.

Yes, I know, I can choose to go elsewhere, choose to double the fries, buy them an adult meal, whatever. And I will probably do all of those things. The point is, we already had the choice of apples vs. fries, and apparently somebody somewhere decided we weren't making the right choice. Does that worry or at least annoy anybody besides me?

Week in Review

I know, I know, I didn't do one last week - it just flew by so fast, I didn't have time to 'review' anything - and now, if you asked me what happened, I would just have to stand here with a puzzled look on my face!

This week hasn't been any quieter, but I can remember a few blurbs:

SUNDAY: S. and L. were pretty demanding of my attention last night. I felt badly for C., who was very good, but didn't get much Mommy time. I had resolved to spend some time with just him this afternoon, but didn't have a definite plan. As we were crossing the parking lot after church, a gentleman I don't know pulled up and asked C's name. I told him and he said, "Merry Christmas, C.!" and handed him a brand new Mater (from Cars) Lego kit! How perfect, and completely unexpected! We had fun putting the first half together while the little ones napped, and will finish it up over the break.

While Daddy and M. were out in the evening, the littles and I watched the second "Alvin and the Chipmunks" movie. S. of course ignores every movie until there is music (which is fine by me). When the credits rolled, that was the signal for everyone to start getting ready for bed, but somehow we ended up dancing to all the songs instead. Usually C. will do a few spins, get embarrassed, and stop, but this time we were all spinning and jumping around the room like idiots. Even L. was bouncing along and grinning in his rainforest jumper. You just can't beat moments like that...although I am getting a little old to keep that up for very long!

MONDAY: So, how long have we been doing foster care with the BIA? Since before C. was born, right? Today we get a letter from them (wow, actual print communication?) saying that they are suspending our foster care payments, because they have NO RECORD OF US. Wha??? Called the supervisor, and while there is a file for C., there is no file on us. Anywhere. I have no words. How can...how...just...gah!!!

See, no words.

TUESDAY:
This is Norman:



I named him Norman when Daddy started drooling over him. You can't eat something you have named. Norman comes into the yard every morning to graze. Most of the dogs ignore him, but Kota has to bark, because Kota is a lab and has not yet grown a brain. Lab brains are like wisdom teeth; you don't get them until you are older, and some don't get them at all. Kota barks, Daddy chases Norman off, Norman trots a few yards away, Daddy goes inside, Norman comes right back. Repeat. As annoying as the barking dog can be, I absolutely love that I live where this can happen on a regular basis.

WEDNESDAY: Norman!!! Did I just say I loved this? Actually, I'm surprised it took this long for the larger critters to discover the mulch pit.

The chipmunks discovered it long ago, but no chipmunk did that...or left those footprints!

Spent all day at work setting up for the Scholastic Book Fair, which starts Monday. Pulled about $1600 in books we want for the library, so I sure hope sales go well! We closed at 5PM, and everyone pretty much ran home to start cooking and cleaning. The plan was, Daddy would get one turkey started in the smoker and occupy the kids, while M. and I made a bajillion side dishes.

And then the pager went off.

So, M. tried to keep little ones from helping, while I cooked and Daddy dealt with cars stuck on ice. S. managed to escape M. and sample just about everything multiple times, but it all got done by the time Daddy made it home. I LOVE to cook, so this is my kind of holiday! I tried a couple newish recipes - nothing bizarre, just not the way I've made things before. The Asparagus Casserole from Mennonite Girls Can Cook was good, but I'd skip the cheese next time - or maybe use Parmesan. Daddy liked it with the cheddar, though, so it's all good :)

I made The Pioneer Woman's Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Apples, and her Soul Sweet 'Taters. I doubled the latter recipe, and they turned out pretty sweet - I think if I do that again, I won't double the sugar. S. sure liked them, though, much to Daddy's disappointment (he says squash is what you do to bugs.)

THURSDAY: Too. Much. Food. I wanted to try everything, but couldn't quite manage. Both turkeys (one in the roaster, one in the smoker) turned out great. I thought the one in the smoker might be dry, but both were scrumptiously juicy. In fact, despite having two whole turkeys, there was hardly any left over!

There were pies left, but only because everyone was so stuffed. I was especially looking forward to my neice's chocolate pecan pie, but I wanted to wait until I had enough room to really enjoy it...which wasn't until about 7PM! And boy, was it worth the wait! S., on the other hand, had at least three of what we are dubbing "M.'s Mistake Brownies". M. made these Wednesday while I was at work, and according to her, was too tired to pay attention to the recipe...so she ended up with something entirely different, but probably better. Here's her version:

Ingredients:
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
8 oz. sweet butter
5 eggs
1 T vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 T powdered Maxwell House Cafe Francais
3 3/4 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups flour

Prepare your pan (we lined with foil) and preheat the oven to 425. Melt butter and chocolate in saucepan over low heat. Set aside. Lick spoon thoroughly (then wash it, if someone is looking.)

Mix eggs, vanilla, almond extract, salt, coffee, and sugar. Add chocolate and beat only until mixed. Add flour and do same. Pour into pan and smooth top.

Bake for 35 minutes and then STOP. If you insert a knife, it WILL come out with stuff on it, but it's still done, trust us. Let stand at room temp until completely cool, then you can take it out and cut it. If the edges are dry, you can trim them off, or just save those pieces to top with ice cream.

Finished product (or what is left of it, anyway - this was a large pan...):

As you can see, nice and soft in the middle, but not undercooked.

Of course, as good as the food is, Thanksgiving is more about the people you get to spend the day with. In addition to family members we don't get to see often enough, we were joined by our friend Priscilla, a retired teacher. I watched her play a dice game with C., and was reminded once again of what an awesome teacher she is. The game was quite obviously teaching him addition, but if I tried to do it, it would have an air of "this is an educational game". Somehow she makes everything seem like just pure fun, and he had a blast! I wish everyone could have stayed longer, but there were long drives under turkey-induced comas ahead.

FRIDAY: No, we did NOT go shopping! After an overtired, early bedtime, the kids all woke up rested and wound and ready to go. Daddy and M. left, suggesting a barricade myself in the corner with C.'s light saber. Not a bad idea. Actually, C. and S. spent most of the morning playing with the folding chairs we had borrowed from Grandma. They made a fort:



a tunnel



and a superhero headquarters

Batman and Superturd!

And yes, that is the same shirt she was wearing yesterday. Nobody cares.

I made sweet potato rolls with some of the leftover sweet poatoes, and twice baked potatoes with the leftover mashed potatoes. Now I have leftover rolls and twice-baked potatoes.

SATURDAY: Quiet day at home. Worked on a present for Daddy while he was out (hah!) and tried to teach C. that he is not supposed to volunteer information about his person while playing "Guess Who?" Planning to finish out the evening with one of the most quotable movies of all time...so, until next week, be careful, or...YOU'LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!

Who Is David???

'Cause Daddy has the shotgun ready.

Conversation on the way to church - Mommy, M. and C. trading back and forth, "I like Daddy!" "I like C.!" "I like S.!" S. says, "I like David!"

Silence. We don't know any Davids, do we?

"You like David?"
"Yes, I like David."
"Is David your boyfriend?" (that, of course, was from M.)
"Yes."
"But, what about Xander?" (her betrothed)
"He's broken."

Oh, dear. Love 'em, use 'em up, and throw 'em away. Not exactly the life lesson I want her to learn. In subsequent conversation we learned that she broke Xander herself, and that David is blue. She has kissed him, and he is a good kisser. None of us can think of a single person, young or old, who she has encountered that is named David. Which is a good thing, because M. has a brand-new muzzle loader, and this David person is in a heap of trouble!

New Books and Christmas Ideas

'Tis (almost) the season to get serious about your gift shopping - unless you are one of those people who are already finished (yes, Miss Amanda, I am talking about you). I love giving books with related gifts - for example, C. is getting a book about ocean animals, along with an ocean craft kit. As I share books with you over the next few weeks, I will try to also suggest a gift you can give with the book. And don't forget, the library here will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair from November 28-December 6, so you can finish up your shopping AND get free books for the library at the same time!

E Tull

How clever! On the first page, the reader is asked to press on the yellow dot. Another yellow dot appears next to it. What happens if you press again? What if you rub on one of the dots? Tap on it? Tilt the page? Clap your hands? A fun little interactive book that you will have to read over, and over, and over! I'm taking this one home tonight, so you'll have to wait until tomorrow to check it out:)
Gift Idea: Bingo markers! (You know, those little bottles full of colored ink that make little round dots) A ready-made, age-appropriate art activity. Just make sure you put them up when not in use, or you may end up with polka-dotted walls...

JR Moss/JR Schu

This is a series, written by two different authors, that also includes a tepee, castle, igloo, log cabin, and pyramid. Beautiful pictures, simple text, good description of the construction of each, as well as what they might have contained in the "olden days". My only issue with them is that I wish they said, "Look Inside an ANCIENT Castle", or "Look Inside a Pueblo LONG AGO". Know what you'll see if you look inside a pueblo today? A TV. A microwave. Maybe a laptop. People still live in all of these types of houses, but they often have the same modern 'conveniences' you have in your own home. Books like this are a bit misleading, and I know at least one Native American blogger who is going to be all over them!
Gift Idea: See if there's a log cabin/pueblo/etc. near you open for tours, and make up a gift card for a trip together at some future date. Then talk about then vs. now!


J 630.9173

Urban agriculture is big these days - a combination of the economy, the desire to eat healthy, a backlash against mage-stores, and a longing for simpler lives. This is a nice little book that touches on the ways people in a community and plants and animals can all work together. It is more inspirational than instructional, and I defy you to read it and not want to go out and plant something. Or buy a chicken. Or set up a beehive. But, wait - it's November! No matter, there is a lot to be done before any of those steps, so:
Gift Ideas: A pad of graph paper to plot out your future garden. A set of plans for a chicken run you will build together. Basic cookware to prepare your future produce.


J B Khatun

Love, love, love this series! In the Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses, Shirin Bridges relates the lives of some lesser-known, but powerful and fascinating women from different parts of the world. No dry reading here: Qutlugh Terkan Khatun, for example, was so beautiful she was kidnapped several times, before becoming a ruler credited with bringing "a golden age of peace and prosperity". In addition to looking at what made each of these women special, readers learn about the food, fashions and politics of that era.
Gift Idea: Pair this with some fancy dress-ups for your princesses, then read the books together to remind them that being a princess is more than pretty clothes (but the clothes are still awesome!)


J 811.54

This pairing's "Once I Ate a Pie" is still a favorite of many dog lovers, and they won't be disappointed in the puppy version. If you have ever had a dog, you will recognize it in at least one of these perefct poem and picture combinations. "No Name" made me laugh out loud at the end, but "Big" has to be my favorite.
Gift Idea: Well, my mother does have a busy little puppy ready for a new home...but, the holidays are not the best time for new pets. Maybe a stuffed dog and a promise to think about it? Or, give this to an adult who already has a pup or two, along with some toys for their furbabies. It's the kind of book that can appeal to any age!


E Will

Yay for more Mo! This very easy reader comes in 'chapters', so your little reader can feel very grown-up. One of Willems' best, I think. Favorite line of the year: "Amanda was reading her new library book You Can Make it Yourself: Jet Packs! when she noticed her alligator chewing on her head." If you are not familiar with Mo Willems, get thee to a library NOW!
Gift Idea: A stuffed alligator would be obvious and appropriate, but you want to go high-tech*, this app sounds like a lot of fun!

*I won't even carry a cell phone, so to me, apps are high-tech.


J 510

Hey, I'm a big fan of anything that means I can eat while I learn, and I'm guessing your kids are, too. There are several books out for the younger crowd that involve food and basic fractions or counting. This one is for the slightly older set, with Fibonacci numbers and tesselations.
Gift Idea: A basket with the ingredients for one of these recipes (as simple as a couple boxes of brownie mix.)

Stay tuned for more book reviews and gift ideas as we start going through the book fair cases! In the meantime, check out the 105 Ways to Give a Book at MotherReader (best blog subtitle ever).

Making Supper

Daddy has been teaching S. how to make enchiladas.

S. is in charge of the tortillas.

You have to make sure they are covered in sauce.

You can't be afraid to get your hands a little dirty.

Just a little.

Yep, just...a little.