“the bright cocoon of life”

“It is not so much what we are taught, but what we are surrounded by, that determines the course of our lives: the music and poetry and talk, the bright cocoon of life that is woven around us.” Julie Keller

I found this quote on this lovely, crafty homeschool blog.  I love the sentiment!

Animation

I was looking for an explanation of how animation works for my dd5 and I found this.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are a definite favorite around here. My ds3 usually tends to bite out the chocolate chips and leave the rest, but he has been known to eat the whole cookie. My mother in law gave me this recipe which was given to her by my sister in law. It can be made with applesauce, too. I usually make the pumpkin variety. I tried the recipe once with shredded carrots, but I think it would work better with cooked carrot.

Pumpkin Cookies
Beat:
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups pumpkin (or zucchini, applesauce, carrots or squash)
• 3 tsp. baking soda
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups canola oil

Sift:
• 6 cups flour (sometimes I use 3c. white, 3c. whole wheat)
• 1 ½ tsp. cloves
• 1 ½ tsp. nutmeg
• 3 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt

add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. (When I make this, I add the spices and salt to the eggs and pumpkin, then I add the flour last. Last time I made these I substituted 1 cup of uncooked oatmeal, which I put in the blender for a minute for one cup of the flour. It worked very well.) I pour half the batter into a jelly cake pan and make cookie bars instead of individual cookies. It’s faster as far as prep goes, but then it takes longer to cook that way – about 18 minutes total.

bake at 375˚ for 8 minutes.
Can add: 1 cup nuts, raisins, 2 c oatmeal, 1 ½ cup chocolate chips.

Masala Simmer Sauce

Success for dinner!  My children go through bouts of pickiness about food, but I think I have to admit that they do not really qualify as picky eaters.  (I do know some certifiable picky eaters)  Especially when they will sit down and happily eat brown rice with garbanzo beans and carrots cooked in Masala Simmer Sauce.  When I heated all this up (it was so easy it doesn’t really qualify as cooking…) I thought I would be eating this myself for lunch and I would probably make pbj’s for my kids.  But they all came in the kitchen following the scent and asked what I was making.  Here is how easy it is:

1. Cook brown rice – I used short brown rice and cooked it on the stove top.  I made a lot and I plan on using some tomorrow to make fried rice, and use the rest in a soup or something like that.  You could also use couscous or quinoa.
2. Pour Masala Simmer Sauce (from Trader Joe’s) in a sauce pan and about 1 cup of water .
3. Add one can drained garbanzo beans.
4. Cut up 2 carrots and add to sauce and simmer until the carrots are tender.
5. Serve the sauce over the brown rice.

I just found a jar of the masala sauce in my pantry with a loose lid.  I think one of the leprechauns who come to visit now and then must have opened it.  It makes me sad to throw it away, but I don’t know how long it’s been open like that.. Sigh…

But the good news is I know where to find more and it has passed the taste test of the whole family!  Wow!

Loquats are Edible

We have a few Loquat trees growing in our neighborhood.  A friend assured me that the fruit is edible.  They are ripe now and are very good.  We can’t all quite agree on what exactly they taste like.  I think they have a bit of an orange flavor.  They are about the size of an apricot.  Here is a link to a good photo of the Loquat fruit and leaves.

In Praise of Lentils

I had never eaten lentils until one evening my husband cooked some simple lentil soup. It was delicious and they cook so quickly and easily, compared to beans. Lentils are a great addition to all kinds of soups and they are good in pasta sauces, too. Especially the little red lentils you can find at indian food groceries. These lentils can be added to your favorite red pasta sauce and simmered for about 20 minutes. They add protein and blend in perfectly with the sauce. Of course if your children are the type who like plain pasta, it is no good trying to sneak in the protein that way. But it will do your own body good.

How big IS Alaska?

My dd9 was wondering this and comparing Alaska to the other states on a map we have on our wall. Alaska is deceptively big on our map because of the way a round earth is distorted on a flat map. I found a great site where you can compare the size of Alaska with other states or with the whole U.S. I would love to find a geography site that would let me choose any country or state and compare them like this.

Down Time

I regularly check Steve Olsen’s blog because I love the ideas he writes about. I was impressed with the video he embedded on his blog in this post. Check it out- it will make you really think about how you spend your free time.

http://www.steve-olson.com/find-the-time-to-transform-yourself-and-your-world/

Best Pancake Mix

I have always snubbed my nose at pancake mixes, especially those “just add water” kind, but I love a good looking package, so I was drawn to the Kodiak Cakes by Baker Mills. If I had looked at the price first I wouldn’t have bought them. Wow! They are good. I mean it. If pancakes matter to you and you can’t bear mixes generally speaking, these will be a pleasant surprise. This is my first food review. I plan on making special mention of other fine food products – especially those that make life easier for a busy mom who doesn’t have the time to make german pancakes or crepes every morning. (No, I do not cook a hot breakfast every morning. We often have cold cereal, or sometimes, leftover cold pizza. Or sometimes lentil soup – not the kids, they think it’s crazy. I think it’s smart.)

Honey For a Child’s Heart

I just heard about this book from a friend of mine, and I am so glad! It has a teriffic list of books to read with children and recommend to children. The author, Gladys M. Hunt articulates so well why reading stories matters.

The power a story has to influence people and change lives cannot be overstated!