Recipe Cards

I love these FREE/printable recipe cards.   They are great especially if you need to make a lot (like for a tea party, pizza party, cookie exchange, cooking camp etc.)  : )

Click HERE for download instructions. 

Let's Grow

I want to preface this post by saying : I'm NOT a gardener, BUT in the past couple of years I've been a "wannabe" gardener : )  My mom tried her very hardest to pass on her green thumb to one of her daughters and...she's still waiting.  So if I can do this...YOU can do this.

We started our "Grow"ing journey just a couple of weeks ago.   It all started with the 1) the desire to desire grow, 2) a child who desired to grow AND 3) a children's book to explain HOW to grow (more for me than them!).   

Read.

We started our journey by picking up a kid’s book on gardening.   There are a ton out there but we actually found one at Goodwill that fit our criteria (pictures, step by step process, a map of how it should look…).   We picked up Kids Gardening:a guide to messing around in the dirt.

Grow.

Whatever book you decide to go with will hopefully give you step by step instructions so it’s not so intimidating. 

1Pick out where in your yard you want your garden.  (Where does it get the most sun?  Where will it not get run over?  Where is it most convenient to reach from your kitchen?)

2 Start digging.   This is so great for kids and parents for so many reasons.   Make it a family activity!   We decided to do a raised garden (most people in Texas should!) so we first had to assemble it (we bought a kit from Sam’s Club).   Then you need to cut up the grass below so that roots have a chance to penetrate the ground. 

3Add soil, compost (more on this later, but you can buy this at most lawn and garden stores) and mulch!  

4Buy your seeds.  We chose what I knew we would eat: Tomatoes, Lettuce, Sugar Snap Peas and Peppers.  

5Plant your seeds…make sure to read the package!  Most seeds only need to be an inch below your soil.  

6 Water, water, water! ( I tell my kids to recreate rain so that they don’t flood it).  WARNING: Kids WILL get wet!   : ) 

Cook.

This is probably pretty obvious, but COOK what you GROW!   Ours aren’t quite ready yet, so in the mean time buy the grown version of what you planted and make a salad or side dish so that your kids can see what their finished product will look like (and what to look for in the mean time).  

If this is all TOO overwhelming for you then start with herbs!  Those can be used in so many recipes and don’t take up too much time or space.  

Play Dough

If you have an aspiring cook in your home (that also likes to play with their food!)  why not whip up some play dough with them?   This is a great way to practice their measuring and they will LOVE it.   This is the best recipe I've found...please share if you have one that you love.    


cook.
Play Dough 
*2 cups of plain flour
*4 tablespoons of 'cream of tartar'
*2 tablespoons of cooking oil (I've also heard of people using baby oil) 
*1 cup of salt
*2 cups of boiling water
*Food Coloring OR unsweetened Kool Aid


Directions
1) Put in a mixing bowl and stir! 
2) It looks like it's not going to work at first, but hang in there and place it on a table and knead (rocking back and forth with the heels of your hands).   The parent should knead first until you feel it's cool enough for your kids to try out.   
3) Have fun with this!  You can add glitter, sand and/or spices and flavorings (pumpkin, vanilla and peppermint are best)


grow. (taken from teacherresources.com)

• Make playdough alphabet letters or numbers - children fill thealphabet stencils / number stencils with playdough...
• Use the playdough to make 2d and 3d shapes...
• Make up lots of small playdough balls - how many playdough ballsfill up different small containers...(eg..cups, bowls etc)
• Make lots of playdough sausages - braid 2 or 3 sausages together.
• Provide lots of different textured materials for children to press into the playdough and uncover the patterns (eg. sandpaper, corderouy, rope, lace,
• Find different shaped lids and 'around the house' objects for children to press into the playdough and uncover different shapes..
• Make faces from playdough and make them express different feelings..
• Different playdough colour each week - gather playdough utensils in that colour also.
• Children stand coloured popsticks into the playdough to form patterning by colour - also great for early addition games and activities - stand 5 red popsticks together - stand 3 yellow popsticks together - how many altogether...

read.

I intentionally left this last.  Depending on how you want to make your play dough you can hand select your story.   For example if you want to read about pumpkins, add pumpkin spice.  If you want to read about fairies/princesses you or outer space you can add glitter and so on and so forth.  Above all else just have fun!   

May the 4th Be With You...

read.

Ok, so the reading part is a bit of a stretch on this one, but bear with me.  If it’s one thing I learned teaching it’s that reading doesn’t always have to be the classic bound book.   For a lot of kids it takes more than that to get them excited about reading.   If they don’t seem into reading bound books, try other venues: magazines, comic books, cookbooks, or instruction manuals.   The point is to just get them to read!   Once they start reading that opens their mind up to so much more.   For my particular family we read our Star Wars cookbook and discussed what looked the coolest and what sounded the best.  I do know that there are a lot of Star Wars books out there…especially early readers!         

cook.

After reading the book, I suggest throwing a Star Wars party.   Invite your neighbors, friends or just the family!   Here are some menu ideas. 

MENU:

*Princess Leia rolls   (cinnamon rolls)

*Lightsaber dippers (Carrots and ranch or hummus)

*Yoda Soda (Sprite with lime sherbert)

*Tie Fighter Dogs (Recipe below)

*Death Star popcorn balls (Recipe below)

TIE FIGHTER DOGS RECIPE:

Ingredients:

*6 hotdogs cut in half (to make 12)   

*1 pkg 12 breadsticks


Supplies:
*pizza cutter
*baking sheet

1) Open the package of breadsticks and separate the lengths of dough.

2) Cut the lengths in half and set aside. You should have 24 lengths of dough when you are finished.

3) WARNING THIS GETS CONFUSING!!  Take 1 length of dough and wrap it around the base of the sausage half. Cross the ends and let them fall on the baking sheet in the form of the letter V.

4) Using another length of dough, wrap the same sausage in the opposite direction. Cross the ends and let them fall in the form of an upside-down V. Repeat with remaining dough and sausage halves.

5) Bake according to breadstick package directions, or until dough puffs up and turns golden brown.

DEATH STAR POPCORN BALL RECIPE

**If you have the STAR WARS Cookbook please note this is not the recipe they use.  I tried it and had a really hard time following it.  I would really like that 2 hours of my life back!!**

Ingredients:

*1/2 cup oil

*1 C unpopped popcorn

salt

*1/2 C butter (1 stick)

*2 C brown sugar

*1/2 C corn syrup

*1 15 oz sweetened condensed milk

*cooking spray

Supplies:

*Pot (the one with 2 handles)

*Large Saucepan (the one with 1 handle)

*liquid measuring cup

*1 cup measuring cup

*can opener

*wooden spoon

*parchment paper

1)   Heat oil in a large pot along with 1 popcorn kernel; covered.

2)   Once that kernel pops add the rest of the kernels until there is no popping for 3 seconds. 

3)   Add salt. 

4)    In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk Stir it all around until well blended.

5)   Heat the mixture to boiling. Boil for 3 minutes while stirring.

6)   Remove from the heat and pour caramel over the top of the popcorn. Stir it up with a large wooden spoon until all of the popcorn is covered. 

7)   Let mixture cool slightly and then spray hands with cooking spray.   Form popcorn into baseball size balls and place on parchment paper.  

PRESENTATION:

See GROW.

grow. 

Do a basic Google image search for: Yoda (Coloring Printable), Light Saber (Coloring Printable), Tie Fighters (Coloring Printable), Death Star (Coloring Printable).   Have your child color in the above pictures and write the menu title underneath the pictures.   Glue pictures on heavy (halved) card stock so your guests know those aren't just any popcorn balls ; )   

Conversation Jar

One of the most basic and fundamental table manners you can teach your child is : Conversation.   Conversation allows your child to interact with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations they will encounter.   At home, it allows you to find out more about your child and have more intentional conversation.  

Conversation Jar:

1) Use any jar or container and make it as fancy or simple as you'd like
2) Print out a list of questions...here are some that I plan on using:

3) Cut up questions and start conversing : ) 

Curious George Makes Pancakes

read.

“Curious George Makes Pancakes” by Margaret and H.A. Reys, is of course about a small little monkey that lets his curiosity get the best of him. Curious George, an inquisitive monkey, causes quite a stir when he tries his "hand" at making pancakes at a fundraiser for the children's hospital.  Most kids (and adults) love reading about George because they can relate to both his curious and mischievous side : ) One thing that I really liked about this story, and that holds true for most Curious George stories, is that George generally just wants to help when he gets into mischief.

cook.

After reading the book, I suggest…pancakes. Pancakes are a weekly staple in our house.  They can be as easy or difficult as you want to make them.  You can “hide” plenty of good nutrients (flax, protein powder, whole wheat flour, fruits) and they are very inexpensive to make.   Of course they are also great because kids can help! 

MENU:

*Banana Pancakes

Pancake RECIPE:

Ingredients:

*1 over ripe banana (the kind you probably shouldn’t eat anymore)

*1 cup whole wheat blend pancake mix

*1- 1 ¼ cup low fat milk

*1 egg

*Cooking Spray

1) Preheat a Pancake Griddle to 350 degrees (or heat a skillet once you’re ready).

2) In a small bowl mash the banana with a Masher or a fork.  

3) Measure whole wheat flour and milk and add to a large bowl. Add the mashed banana.  

4) Crack an egg in a SEPARATE small bowl.  (that way if they get shells in the bowl you can help them fish them out)  Once you have a shell free egg add it to the large bowl with the flour, milk and banana.

5) With a wire whisk, large fork or rotary beater have your child combine all the ingredients just until moistened.   The batter should look lumpy.  Over mixing may toughen the pancakes. 

6) Spray the griddle or skillet with cooking spray.  

7) Check to see if the griddle is ready by getting your hand wet and then flicking water onto the griddle.  If it “dances” it’s ready : ) 

8)Using a 1/3 measuring cup scoop batter and pour onto griddle.   Cook until bubbles cover the surface of the pancakes and the bottoms are golden brown.  

9) Turn the pancakes over with a wide spatula.  Place on platter when done.    

PRESENTATION:

You of course need to be playing the Jack Johnson song “Banana Pancakes” either while cooking or eating J   I always think pancakes look best stacked up as tall as you can get them with butter on top!  

grow. 

After you and your kids enjoy the book and recipe together, extend the fun by picking one of the activities from the CURIOUS GEORGE page on PBS. 

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs : 

read.

It’s no wonder that Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett is a bestseller.  It’s a story about a Grandpa who tells his kids a tale about a town where it rains food from the sky.  I recommend Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs for 4- to 8-year-olds, as well as for older kids. It’s a wonderful book to read aloud. You’ll find it sparks kids’ imaginations, and they will come up with all kinds of food-related happenings after enjoying the book. The book also serves as an excellent starting point for a creative writing unit for tweens (ages 8-12) and young teens, as well as an excellent addition to a creative writing and/or visual art unit for tweens and teens on storytelling through a combination of words and pictures. 

cook.

After reading the book, I suggest cooking lunch/dinner together with foods from the book OR foods that your kids would love to have rain from the sky : )   If you go with the book illustrations, here is your suggested menu:

MENU:

*Mashed Potato Clouds

*Meatball Raindrops

*Broccoli Trees

You can make this as fancy (everything from scratch) or easy (think pre-made frozen) as you want.   I typically find the middle road most of the time.   In case you are the same way here is an excellent recipe for meatballs.  

MEATBALL RAINDROP RECIPE:

Kids LOVE making meatballs (especially if they are sensory seekers like mine!).

Ingredients:

*2 small shallots, peeled. 

*1 garlic clove, peeled.  (or the freeze dried/jarred kind I use!) 

*2 tsp. Italian seasoning

*1 ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

*1/4 tsp. salt

*3/4 lb ground meat (chicken, turkey, beef, bison)

Preheat oven to 350 F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper (I use this all the time when cooking with kids, makes clean up a BREEZE)

Put the shallots and garlic into a food processor (or blender if you don’t have one.)  Add the Italian seasoning, Worcestershire, and salt to the mixture.  Turn on your processor until everything is in tiny pieces (yes, your child can do this with supervision).   Empty the contents into a large bowl.  Add the ground meat.   Using their hands, allow your child to mix everything until it’s the same color.  Together roll the meatball mixture into ¾ inch balls and place on baking sheet.  You should have approximately 50.  Bake meatballs for 10 minutes.  

PRESENTATION:

Presentation adds so much to this recipe.   Place the potatoes like clouds on the plates (yes it’s okay to let your kids use their {clean} hands!)  Then, act like the meatballs are raining down from the clouds onto the trees (broccoli).   Voila!  A fun, healthy dinner.   

grow.  

After you and your kids enjoy the book and recipe together, extend the fun by making a story sack. Sherri Osborn, the About.com Guide to Family Crafts, provides all the information you need to make your own Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Story Sack, including directions for a spaghetti and meatball hat, a paper apron, a food collage and much more.