Summertime Favorites

Easiest summer water activity ever:  cup of water, an old paintbrush, and some cement.
So many pictures to make, so little time!
I used to do this when I taught first grade as part of our unit on the sun.
It is a great introduction to the sun as a heat source, that the sun has the power to evaporate water.
So not only is fun but it's educational.

Best "it's too hot to play outside" activity:  blanket forts.
They filled the whole family room.
And best part?  They actually picked it all up!

Best activity to teach your little brother:  bug hunting.
Zeke loves to hunt for bugs and is always turning over rocks and digging in the dirt to find them.
He showed Kai how to tip over the edgers by our mailbox and Kai is hooked.
Hearing Kai shriek and laugh over the ants is always smile inducing.

Favorite flower #1:  Zinnias

Favorite flower #2:  the butterfly bush

Favorite flower #4:  Gigantic  hostas
These hostas are Guacamole Hostas and they have huge leaves and fragrant flowers which is unusual for hostas.

Favorite flower #5:  Hydrangeas
I love hydrangeas and have 4 different kinds along our front.
These Annabelle Hydrangeas are one of my favorites because they produce huge mopheads
and because they grow on new growth so you don't have to protect them during the winter.
This flower was easily bigger than Kai's head.

Best summertime meal:  Brinner or brunch
French toast, pancakes and breakfast casseroles-we've had them all.
One of my favorite things to serve with pancakes is homemade syrup.
My kids love syrup so I am surprised that they prefer homemade to store bought but they do.
They always ask, "With homemade syrup?"
The recipe is below.

• Homemade Pancake Syrup  (adapted from http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/brown-sugar-butter-pancake-and-waffle-syrup-make-ahead-mondays/)
• 
  
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, salted or unsalted, well chilled cut into 8 pats.
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 
  
• Stir the water and brown sugar together in a heavy-bottomed 2 to 2½ quart saucepan with high sides. Place the pan over medium high heat and stir until the sugar is melted and the mixture comes to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and allow it to boil for 4 minutes. When the time is up, gently drop one pat of butter into the mixture and stir until the butter is melted completely. Repeat the process with one pat of butter at a time, until all the butter has been melted and incorporated. Remove the pan from the heat. If using the extract, add it and stir it in now. Take care, as it will bubble up enthusiastically.  Let cool for 5 minutes or so before serving.  You can store any leftovers in a Mason jar in your fridge.  (I have also made this with less butter and it still tastes delicious.)

Lazy Recipes Make Me Smile

I've been wanting to find a good homemade granola; it seems like a good way to get some healthy extras in your diet.  Christine inspired me to think outside of the box in that she doesn't just use oatmeal as a base; she uses whatever cereal she has at home and sticks it into a method that is perfect for me:  the lazy granola method.  Basically, you let it cook in the oven overnight (or approximately 8 hours) as the oven cools down.  No stirring, no fussing.  Perfect.  I had bought a bunch of Cheerios because they were on sale and was looking for a good way to use them so that we weren't eating Cheerios for breakfast every day for 2 months.  Christine's idea seemed to fit.  So using this recipe, I did a double batch with Cheerios, old fashioned oats, unsweeteneed coconut, a handful of sunflower seeds that were just hanging around, cinnamon, vanilla, honey, maple syrup, and some milled flax seeds.  The comments under the recipe listed a bunch of variations that I am now anxious to try.  Applesauce in place of the oil.  Peanut butter.  Of course there are unlimited fruit options like raisins, dried cherries, dried apples...

The kids ate it for breakfast this morning with milk.  It wasn't as big of a hit this morning as it was last night when I let them eat it straight off of the cooled pan.  D's opinion has yet to be made known.  He made kind of a stinky skunk face last night but if you know him, you know that's part of his personality-making goofy comments that have little to do his real opinion.  He was mostly just trying to give me a had time because he knew I was excited about the whole deal.  I had it this morning with some peaches that I had dehydrated. (I cannot stand to drink milk so as I always do, I had mine dry. Long story on the milk thing...somehow got it in my head around age 3 that I didn't like milk. Now I can't even make myself drink it without gagging. It's a complete psychological issue.) I thought it was pretty tasty.  Easy eat as cereal, to top your yogurt, or to mix with nuts and M and M's for a trail mix.  Definitely worth making again.

Menu Planning Monday

Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Easy Tomato Soup

Ham and bean soup from the freezer, carrots and celery, corn muffins

Crockpot Pasta Fagoli Soup, breadsticks

Hashbrown Egg Bake, bacon, fruit

Orange Chicken with clementine pieces, rice

Loaded baked potatoes, fruit, garden salad

California Pizza Kitchen Chopped Salad, Poached Pears

Menu Planning

Ham and Bean Soup, Fruit

Corn and Cheese Enchilladas, Avocado Salad

Chilli, Carrots and celery


Cincinati Style Chilli over Spaghetti, Green Beans


Chicken Cordon Bleu, California blend, lime jello with pears


Gingerbread Pancakes, bacon, fresh fruit

Menu Planning Monday

Corn and Cheese Enchilladas, fresh fruit, chips and pico de gallo


Very Vanilla French Toast, bacon, fruit salad


Crock Pot Pasta Fagoli Soup, Quick No Yeast Breadsticks


Indian Spiced Lentils, Naan


Spicy Black Beans, pico de gallo and lime, mango


Ham and Cheese Pasta, peas, apple salad

Menu Planning Monday

Husker game Day

Nacho/taco bar with black beans and pork verde (beans and pork from my freezer)
Cheese Sauce
Pico de Gallo
Peanut Butter Brownies


Baked Jerked Chicken
Cranberry Relish
Potatoes

Cheesy Potato Soup with hamburger, carrots and celery

Bean burritos, mixed vegetables, fresh fruit

Bread Pudding
Bacon
Fruit salad


Ham and Cheese Panini with leftover cranberry relish
Fresh fruit