I really like hummus. My kids really like it, too. I pack it as the entrée in my kids' lunches every other week with pita chips. I have purchased Sabra brand hummus, to the tune of $3.99 plus a container, when I have been in a rush and unable to make it myself. When time has allowed, I have made a batch for us to eat, but I have always been disappointed in the texture. My hummus always seemed grainy, where the ones I purchased from the grocery store were so smooth. Over the years, I have tried recipe after recipe but I never found one that reaped creamy, smooth hummus. I finally decided that a little research was in order, if I was ever going to find out why the ones at the store were so much better.
It didn't take me long to find the answer either. I read two different blogs in a very short amount of time that stated the trick is to peel the outer layer of the bean off before grinding them. I decided that if two people said it, there must be something to it. I drained two cans of chickpeas, reserving the liquid to use later in the recipe. I was hopeful that I could just squeeze the beans and the outer "skin" would just come off. Although many of the beans were easier than others, most of them didn't just peel right off and it took a long time to get to all the beans. I didn't actually clock it, but I know I was at it for an entire movie and then some. Two hours of my time can be quite valuable, or expensive if that description can apply here. Nevertheless, I persevered and peeled them all. I placed them in the food processor and pulsed them until they become powdery crumbs. I scraped the sides down, and pulsed it another four to five times. I added one cup of purchased tahini, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 4 cloves garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, and more than 1/2 cup reserved chickpea canned packing water. I blended everything together in the food processor until completely mixed and creamy. I had pita bread left over from gyros I made earlier in the week, so I heated it up and used it to dip in the hummus. Yum!!
I have a recipe to make homemade naan, so that may be my next adventure.
So, to recap:
2 cans 15-ounce chickpeas, drained and peeled
1 cup tahini paste
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
4 small cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon table salt, or more to taste
Approximately 1/2 cup reserved chickpea canned water, more to reach the creamy texture you desire
Grind the chickpeas until powdery crumbs. Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt, and blend. Add reserved water until desired texture is achieved. Add any additional seasonings for taste you desire: paprika, basil, parsley...Makes 3 1/2 cups hummus.
If you never take the time to make this recipe, I hope that you appreciate the time it takes and how tasty it is!
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Recipes for My Menus in the Previous Post
Hopefully, you read my last post about my menu planning. I have finished finding initial recipes for the entrees I compiled.
Poultry:
Grilled chicken quarters
Crockpot chicken tacos
Crockpot chicken thighs
Freezer chicken parmesan
Crockpot chicken and dumplings
Beef:
Meatloaf
Ground beef tacos
Salisbury steaks
Burgers
Sloppy joes
Seafood:
Fish tacos
Parmesan tilapia
Lemon pepper white fish
Fish sandwiches
Dill salmon
Pasta:
Spaghetti
Soup and sandwich (best quick soup for the money)
Mixed vegetable pasta bake
Crockpot lasagna
Soup and salad
Pork:
Crockpot pork chops
Smoked sausage (my new favorite, recipes on website)
BLT wraps
Ham and cheese sliders
Gyros
Vegetarian:
Tomato pie
Stromboli
Baked potatoes
Cheese enchiladas
Quesadillas
Beans:
Crunchy black bean tacos
Turkey chili
Black bean burgers
Charro beans
Red beans and rice
I know these are not all the healthiest. Where possible, I substitute better ingredients. Some of these are just plain good because they are "comfort" foods. Like I mentioned in the last blog, I choose sides based on what I get in my Bountiful Basket, what I have on hand in the freezer and pantry, and I almost always have the fixins' for salad.
If you are strapped for time and ideas, I hope that these help you out, too. Check back for new ideas and recipes.
Poultry:
Grilled chicken quarters
Crockpot chicken tacos
Crockpot chicken thighs
Freezer chicken parmesan
Crockpot chicken and dumplings
Beef:
Meatloaf
Ground beef tacos
Salisbury steaks
Burgers
Sloppy joes
Seafood:
Fish tacos
Parmesan tilapia
Lemon pepper white fish
Fish sandwiches
Dill salmon
Pasta:
Spaghetti
Soup and sandwich (best quick soup for the money)
Mixed vegetable pasta bake
Crockpot lasagna
Soup and salad
Pork:
Crockpot pork chops
Smoked sausage (my new favorite, recipes on website)
BLT wraps
Ham and cheese sliders
Gyros
Vegetarian:
Tomato pie
Stromboli
Baked potatoes
Cheese enchiladas
Quesadillas
Beans:
Crunchy black bean tacos
Turkey chili
Black bean burgers
Charro beans
Red beans and rice
I know these are not all the healthiest. Where possible, I substitute better ingredients. Some of these are just plain good because they are "comfort" foods. Like I mentioned in the last blog, I choose sides based on what I get in my Bountiful Basket, what I have on hand in the freezer and pantry, and I almost always have the fixins' for salad.
If you are strapped for time and ideas, I hope that these help you out, too. Check back for new ideas and recipes.
No Money and No Time Makes Shauna Go Something, Something, Something....
Go crazy? Don't mind if I do!
Over the past year, two things have happened that have rocked my world. We had some financial situations and obligations pile up, and I went back to work. For fourteen year, I was used to planning a menu and having time to shop of the better deals on food. I was used to having all day to get dinner ready. Luckily, I'm also used to cooking more than one meal in a day.
Since I work while the kids are in school, and I haul them all around town the rest of the time, I don't have a lot of time to cook and clean anymore. Since I am only working in order to eliminate the debts that have suddenly popped up, I have resorted to cooking less gourmet meals. My new mean plan includes less expensive ideas and ingredients, but is also fairly easy to prepare some items ahead of time...on cooking day. This will continue to be a plan in progress, but I have come up with my first month...for September. It just might repeat itself all year.
My plan was relatively simple. First, I made seven categories: beef, pork, beans, vegetarian, pasta, seafood, and poultry. I assigned these categories to a day of the week. In my case, Sunday is beef, Monday is pork, Tuesday is beans, Wednesday is vegetarian, Thursday is pasta, Friday is seafood, and Saturday is poultry. Secondly, I chose five easy to prepare and less expensive entrees for each category. I included recipes that cook quickly or in a crockpot. I also tried to choose entrees that can be prepared on Saturday or Sunday and keep well in the refrigerator or freezer all week until needed.
Thirdly, I also pack the girls lunch instead of having them buy in the school cafeteria. It would definitely make my life easier if they could eat at school, but for now we need to save the money. Ugh! Anyway, I chose ten quick to fix entrees, especially those that can be prepared ahead of time. These ten entrees just repeat over and over for the whole year. Although it can get boring, at least there are ten things to choose from instead of just a sandwich everyday. Lastly, the girls are dropped off at school at 6:25am for band practice. Neither of them are early breakfast eaters. I chose light, easy to eat on the run foods, expect for Saturday. Typically on Saturday, we eat later in the morning, so instead of lunch, we eat dinner earlier...I know, like old people!
When I had my 35 entrees chosen, I created a simple menu to plug them into, along with school lunch and simple, on-the-go breakfasts for the girls. I have only chosen the entrees because I rely on freezer stocked sides and what I get in my Bountiful Basket each week to complete the meals. The girls lunch usually has a fruit cup, cheese stick, juice pouch, chips, snack cracker or mix, and cookies. Having a plan is half my battle every day!
I have compiled my menu and looked up recipes to find the easiest and least expensive ways to cook them. I am working on my grocery list next.
Over the past year, two things have happened that have rocked my world. We had some financial situations and obligations pile up, and I went back to work. For fourteen year, I was used to planning a menu and having time to shop of the better deals on food. I was used to having all day to get dinner ready. Luckily, I'm also used to cooking more than one meal in a day.
Since I work while the kids are in school, and I haul them all around town the rest of the time, I don't have a lot of time to cook and clean anymore. Since I am only working in order to eliminate the debts that have suddenly popped up, I have resorted to cooking less gourmet meals. My new mean plan includes less expensive ideas and ingredients, but is also fairly easy to prepare some items ahead of time...on cooking day. This will continue to be a plan in progress, but I have come up with my first month...for September. It just might repeat itself all year.
My plan was relatively simple. First, I made seven categories: beef, pork, beans, vegetarian, pasta, seafood, and poultry. I assigned these categories to a day of the week. In my case, Sunday is beef, Monday is pork, Tuesday is beans, Wednesday is vegetarian, Thursday is pasta, Friday is seafood, and Saturday is poultry. Secondly, I chose five easy to prepare and less expensive entrees for each category. I included recipes that cook quickly or in a crockpot. I also tried to choose entrees that can be prepared on Saturday or Sunday and keep well in the refrigerator or freezer all week until needed.
Thirdly, I also pack the girls lunch instead of having them buy in the school cafeteria. It would definitely make my life easier if they could eat at school, but for now we need to save the money. Ugh! Anyway, I chose ten quick to fix entrees, especially those that can be prepared ahead of time. These ten entrees just repeat over and over for the whole year. Although it can get boring, at least there are ten things to choose from instead of just a sandwich everyday. Lastly, the girls are dropped off at school at 6:25am for band practice. Neither of them are early breakfast eaters. I chose light, easy to eat on the run foods, expect for Saturday. Typically on Saturday, we eat later in the morning, so instead of lunch, we eat dinner earlier...I know, like old people!
When I had my 35 entrees chosen, I created a simple menu to plug them into, along with school lunch and simple, on-the-go breakfasts for the girls. I have only chosen the entrees because I rely on freezer stocked sides and what I get in my Bountiful Basket each week to complete the meals. The girls lunch usually has a fruit cup, cheese stick, juice pouch, chips, snack cracker or mix, and cookies. Having a plan is half my battle every day!
I have compiled my menu and looked up recipes to find the easiest and least expensive ways to cook them. I am working on my grocery list next.
So, here's my plan so far. I hope to much better financially in a couple of months. I think I will really mix cooking fancy after a while. I hope the simplicity will make it easier on me while I am working!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Groundhog...Smoundhog, but the little critters are kinda cute...
I've never thought of Groundhog Day as a holiday for celebrating, however this year my twin daughters have mentioned February 2 more than once a day. Not because it's Groundhog Day, but because it's their half birthday. That means, tomorrow, they will be 12.5 years old. At 12, that's a big deal, I guess. Their father refused to celebrate their half birthday, but he will join in on an "Ode to the Groundhog" dinner.
So, the Groundhog sees his shadow and retreats into his burrow for 6 more weeks until spring emerges. I think that tradition is just crazy. This winter has been mild here in Texas. Yesterday and today, the high temperature was 75 with lots of sunshine, and tomorrow it will be 70 and mostly cloudy. A year ago, during the Superbowl, we were in the middle of an ice/snow storm. The old adage-If you don't like the weather in Texas, wait about five minutes, it'll change-is true. You never know from hour to hour just what you are gonna get around here. If memory serves me, it has been cloudy here on Groundhog day the last 5 years. According to folklore, spring should be immediate every year. Last year, we had 2 very long weeks of temps in the teens and lots of ice and snow dumped on us after Groundhog Day. The groundhog is busted! We usually have very mild winters, and spring and winter tend to meld into Sprinter or Wing, but by March we are sticking to the 60's most of the time. So, I guess the groundhog is correct in that most winters can be chilly until the end of March, when spring actually shows up. Nevertheless, Groundhog Day is tomorrow, and like I said, the critter is cute. The idea of an entire day devoted to a groundhog is kind of cute, too. So, to acknowledge the groundhog, we are having a special dinner and watching the Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day tomorrow night.
The most famous groundhog is Punxsutawney Phill of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Most people never give much thought the groundhog, but there are other notable groundhogs: Murray the Groundhog of New Jersey, General Beauregard Lee of Snellville, Georgia, Staten Island Chuck of New York City, and Sir Walter Wally of Norh Carolina. The famous Canadian version is Wiarton Willie of Wiarton, Ontario. Groundhog Day stems from a pegan/Christianity holiday of Candlemas Day with the Scottish couplet: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year." I always find it interesting to find the roots of a holiday or minor celebration tracable back to the growth of the Christian church.
My dinner menu for tomrorow night is very kid friendly. I will have Groundhog Pecans to much on before dinner. I am taking pecan halves and tossing them in maple syrup, butter, mace, cardamom, and nutmeg, and backed for 20 minutes at 350. We will have Whistle Dogs in honor of Wiarton Willie. These are hot dogs with bacon and american cheese, pickle relish and onions, and whatever condiment you prefer. We will have three sides to accompany the dogs. We will macaroni and cheese in honor of General Beauregard Lee. I would have Dutch Baked Beans in honor of Punxsutawney Phil, but no one in my family likes sweet beans. So, we will southwest pinto beans instead. Last, we will have Palisades Park French Fries in honor of Murray the Groundhog. Palisades Fries are soaked in vinegar water for a little while and then fried in very hot oil. They are served with Malt Vinegar, if desired.
For dessert, I am making Groundhog Cupcakes in honor of Sir Walter Wally. They looked too cute not to try making them. I haven't decided whether I will make carrot cake cupcakes or red velvet, mainly because I already have those cake mixes. Whatever I decide, I will decorate them with candy bars, jelly beans, and brown M&M's to make a groundhog sitting in the middle of the cupcake.
So, I hope that I have helped you to see that the groundhog is worth checking out. There's history, there's pretty tasty food options to recognize each famous groundhog, and well, just look at him...he's just so cute!
So, the Groundhog sees his shadow and retreats into his burrow for 6 more weeks until spring emerges. I think that tradition is just crazy. This winter has been mild here in Texas. Yesterday and today, the high temperature was 75 with lots of sunshine, and tomorrow it will be 70 and mostly cloudy. A year ago, during the Superbowl, we were in the middle of an ice/snow storm. The old adage-If you don't like the weather in Texas, wait about five minutes, it'll change-is true. You never know from hour to hour just what you are gonna get around here. If memory serves me, it has been cloudy here on Groundhog day the last 5 years. According to folklore, spring should be immediate every year. Last year, we had 2 very long weeks of temps in the teens and lots of ice and snow dumped on us after Groundhog Day. The groundhog is busted! We usually have very mild winters, and spring and winter tend to meld into Sprinter or Wing, but by March we are sticking to the 60's most of the time. So, I guess the groundhog is correct in that most winters can be chilly until the end of March, when spring actually shows up. Nevertheless, Groundhog Day is tomorrow, and like I said, the critter is cute. The idea of an entire day devoted to a groundhog is kind of cute, too. So, to acknowledge the groundhog, we are having a special dinner and watching the Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day tomorrow night.
The most famous groundhog is Punxsutawney Phill of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Most people never give much thought the groundhog, but there are other notable groundhogs: Murray the Groundhog of New Jersey, General Beauregard Lee of Snellville, Georgia, Staten Island Chuck of New York City, and Sir Walter Wally of Norh Carolina. The famous Canadian version is Wiarton Willie of Wiarton, Ontario. Groundhog Day stems from a pegan/Christianity holiday of Candlemas Day with the Scottish couplet: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year." I always find it interesting to find the roots of a holiday or minor celebration tracable back to the growth of the Christian church.
My dinner menu for tomrorow night is very kid friendly. I will have Groundhog Pecans to much on before dinner. I am taking pecan halves and tossing them in maple syrup, butter, mace, cardamom, and nutmeg, and backed for 20 minutes at 350. We will have Whistle Dogs in honor of Wiarton Willie. These are hot dogs with bacon and american cheese, pickle relish and onions, and whatever condiment you prefer. We will have three sides to accompany the dogs. We will macaroni and cheese in honor of General Beauregard Lee. I would have Dutch Baked Beans in honor of Punxsutawney Phil, but no one in my family likes sweet beans. So, we will southwest pinto beans instead. Last, we will have Palisades Park French Fries in honor of Murray the Groundhog. Palisades Fries are soaked in vinegar water for a little while and then fried in very hot oil. They are served with Malt Vinegar, if desired.
For dessert, I am making Groundhog Cupcakes in honor of Sir Walter Wally. They looked too cute not to try making them. I haven't decided whether I will make carrot cake cupcakes or red velvet, mainly because I already have those cake mixes. Whatever I decide, I will decorate them with candy bars, jelly beans, and brown M&M's to make a groundhog sitting in the middle of the cupcake.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Bountiful Baskets-Oh Yeah!
My neighbor across the street turned me onto Bountiful Baskets. She's been purchasing for a few weeks now. Bountiful Baskets have a national organization of coop produce growers and wholesalers that contribute to a weekly and (some areas) bi-weekly contribution of produce, based on pre-order sales. Locally, we have the opportunity to purchase regular produce for $15 and organic for $25. In return, we receive a basket (or box) of fruits and vegetables, and a large amount of each. I have done it once, and I am completely sold! In my basket last Saturday, I received pears, apples, bananas, oranges, kiwis, pomegranates, broccoli, cauliflower, red leaf lettuce, corn cobs, tomatoes, and brussel sprouts. Truly, we got a lot of food to each this week. In our area, we only get to purchase every other week. I was completely sold on the price compared to the amount of food I received, easily worth $40.
Over the course of the past two weeks, I have been busier than usual. One daughter developed a sinus infection last week, and she had 6 teeth pulled this week to go back into braces, resulting in stitches. Our dog developed a blatter infection. Both of them were on antibiotics that needed to be given with food. Of course, the dog was much easier to plan. With the extractions, softer food was important. The fruit managed to get eaten over the afternoons as after school snacks. Another daughter of mine cut up the fruit on two different days to make her own fruit salad with yogurt. For the dental girl, one night I made mashed cauliflower, with cream cheese and Parmesan cheese, mashed using a submersible blender. Surprisingly, they had a mashed potato feel and taste. Another night, I made broccoli-cheese soup, and it was so tasty. Last night, my daughter was able to eat more foods that are "chewable." I made a salsa salad, with grilled corn, avocado, tomato, red onion, cucumber, and a homemade vinaigrette dressing with cilantro. I baked chicken, then I sliced it and marinaded it with Italian dressing. My final touch for dinner was the brussel spouts. I cut them in half, and tossed them in olive oil, placed them on a cookie sheet cut side up, and seasoned them with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.
I baked them at 350 degree for 25 minutes. They were wonderful. Healthier than french fries, and just as salty and tasty. I think they would go well with almost any main entree. A little crispy, and soft, all at the same time. Everyone loved these little gems.
The only things I have left from my Bountiful Basket are the fruits, and tomatoes, which are technically fruit. I need to research ways to use the pomegranate. I have seeded them and I'm ready to make some magic. I still have all five pears, so I think I might poach them tomorrow night. I've never done that, so I'm looking forward to that, too.
If you have a local Bountiful Basket location, or perhaps another type of service that is similar to this one, I recommend you check it out. Lots of food, very low price, and an education in new and exciting ways to use the food. I've had a blast this week trying new things, and savoring old recipes.
Bon Appetit!
Over the course of the past two weeks, I have been busier than usual. One daughter developed a sinus infection last week, and she had 6 teeth pulled this week to go back into braces, resulting in stitches. Our dog developed a blatter infection. Both of them were on antibiotics that needed to be given with food. Of course, the dog was much easier to plan. With the extractions, softer food was important. The fruit managed to get eaten over the afternoons as after school snacks. Another daughter of mine cut up the fruit on two different days to make her own fruit salad with yogurt. For the dental girl, one night I made mashed cauliflower, with cream cheese and Parmesan cheese, mashed using a submersible blender. Surprisingly, they had a mashed potato feel and taste. Another night, I made broccoli-cheese soup, and it was so tasty. Last night, my daughter was able to eat more foods that are "chewable." I made a salsa salad, with grilled corn, avocado, tomato, red onion, cucumber, and a homemade vinaigrette dressing with cilantro. I baked chicken, then I sliced it and marinaded it with Italian dressing. My final touch for dinner was the brussel spouts. I cut them in half, and tossed them in olive oil, placed them on a cookie sheet cut side up, and seasoned them with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.
I baked them at 350 degree for 25 minutes. They were wonderful. Healthier than french fries, and just as salty and tasty. I think they would go well with almost any main entree. A little crispy, and soft, all at the same time. Everyone loved these little gems.
The only things I have left from my Bountiful Basket are the fruits, and tomatoes, which are technically fruit. I need to research ways to use the pomegranate. I have seeded them and I'm ready to make some magic. I still have all five pears, so I think I might poach them tomorrow night. I've never done that, so I'm looking forward to that, too.
If you have a local Bountiful Basket location, or perhaps another type of service that is similar to this one, I recommend you check it out. Lots of food, very low price, and an education in new and exciting ways to use the food. I've had a blast this week trying new things, and savoring old recipes.
Bon Appetit!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Out with the Old and In with the New
So, another new year is knocking at the door. The older I get, the faster the years go screaming by, and I get farther and farther behind. Much like all the other occasions in my life, my family has grown accustomed to celebrating them with traditions and foods. We traditionally eat certain foods every New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. I can't say that we have truly prospered or had better luck for eating them, but we can't stop doing it now.
The Chinese believe that fish and seafood bring about fortune and luck. They represent moving forward. The German believe eating pork can bring the same, because pigs root moving forward as well. The Chinese eat noodles to begin a new year because they represent long life. The Chinese also believe that eating eggs will bring fertility, but I choose to believe it is more about new beginnings because we do not need any fertility around here. Irish eat cabbage at the start of a new year because it is believed to bring luck and fortune. Spanish people twelve grapes at midnight New Year's Eve, one grape for each month of the year. They believe this will bring good luck each month to come. Mediterraneans consume pomegranates for great abundance, because there are so many pom pellets inside one pomegranate. Being a good southern girl, I have to eat black eyed peas and cornbread, and some kind of greens. The black eyed peas are eaten for prosperity, the greens will bring you greenbacks in the coming year, and cornbread is just tasty.
That being said, I have come up with the New Year's menu for this weekend:
Salmon puffs (salmon-cream cheese mixture rolled in puff pastry)
BLT Salad (spinach, bacon, tomatoes, boiled eggs, and croutons)
Pork Loin (garlic and herb)
Black eyed Peas (with ham and bacon)
Cabbage (with bacon)
Parmesan Noodles (wide egg noodles with garlic and Parmesan)
Peppered Deviled Eggs
Red Seedless Grapes
Pomegranate-Blueberry Smoothies
Chocolate Cake (my neighbor's 40th birthday is NYE, and I'm making her a cake)
Carrot Cake Cupcakes (I really like carrot cake, that's all)
I bought sparkling cider for the girls to drink at midnight, as they share their wishes and goals for the upcoming year. The best part of NYE on the ranchette is getting to shoot fireworks at midnight, and we are not alone with that activity. Last year, we could hear fireworks for miles, and for a long while after midnight, too. The girls helped me pick out party hats and noise makers, which I usually begin to regret purchasing by 8:00pm, long before midnight. A good time is expected for us all.
I wish for you all to have a great new year. Hopefully the Mayans just got tired of writing out the calendar, and the end of the world is not that soon. I have so many more celebrations to plans!
Happy New Year!
The Chinese believe that fish and seafood bring about fortune and luck. They represent moving forward. The German believe eating pork can bring the same, because pigs root moving forward as well. The Chinese eat noodles to begin a new year because they represent long life. The Chinese also believe that eating eggs will bring fertility, but I choose to believe it is more about new beginnings because we do not need any fertility around here. Irish eat cabbage at the start of a new year because it is believed to bring luck and fortune. Spanish people twelve grapes at midnight New Year's Eve, one grape for each month of the year. They believe this will bring good luck each month to come. Mediterraneans consume pomegranates for great abundance, because there are so many pom pellets inside one pomegranate. Being a good southern girl, I have to eat black eyed peas and cornbread, and some kind of greens. The black eyed peas are eaten for prosperity, the greens will bring you greenbacks in the coming year, and cornbread is just tasty.
That being said, I have come up with the New Year's menu for this weekend:
Salmon puffs (salmon-cream cheese mixture rolled in puff pastry)
BLT Salad (spinach, bacon, tomatoes, boiled eggs, and croutons)
Pork Loin (garlic and herb)
Black eyed Peas (with ham and bacon)
Cabbage (with bacon)
Parmesan Noodles (wide egg noodles with garlic and Parmesan)
Peppered Deviled Eggs
Red Seedless Grapes
Pomegranate-Blueberry Smoothies
Chocolate Cake (my neighbor's 40th birthday is NYE, and I'm making her a cake)
Carrot Cake Cupcakes (I really like carrot cake, that's all)
I bought sparkling cider for the girls to drink at midnight, as they share their wishes and goals for the upcoming year. The best part of NYE on the ranchette is getting to shoot fireworks at midnight, and we are not alone with that activity. Last year, we could hear fireworks for miles, and for a long while after midnight, too. The girls helped me pick out party hats and noise makers, which I usually begin to regret purchasing by 8:00pm, long before midnight. A good time is expected for us all.
I wish for you all to have a great new year. Hopefully the Mayans just got tired of writing out the calendar, and the end of the world is not that soon. I have so many more celebrations to plans!
Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Winter Break and the Crazies
So, in just a matter of days, the kids will be out of school for a couple of weeks over Christmas. I go a little Crazy every year deciding what 'little something' I can get the girls' teachers that will be useful or wanted. It was a lot easier when the girls only had one teacher all day everyday, back in elementary school. I know the teachers get a lot of things from their students at Christmas, but I hope that the thing I come up with is not the worst gift they receive.
This year, I decided on 'Snowman Soup'. A bag filled with Hershey Kisses, candy cane-stir stick, a dozen snowman shaped marshmallows, and a packet of hot chocolate mix. Fairly easy to assemble, and easy for the girls to take and distribute at school. The hardest part was choosing the font for the print style on the poem. I hope the paper stuff stays stuck on long enough to get the little gifts passed out.
I need a nice idea for a gift to a bus driver. The girls' bus driver is retiring at the winter break. He's been our bus driver for the past year, but he's been driving a bus in Midlothian for decades. He really loves the kids, and I want to do something special. I was leaning toward premium coffee and homemade cookies. If you have a good idea, please let me know!
My next Crazy obstacle is planning what to buy and prepare to eat during the kids time off from school. I'm not used to having lunch on hand everyday. I hope by starting to think about it now, I might actually have a plan in place by the time they are out.
Hopefully, I won't be too Crazy before they return to school in January.
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