Thanksgiving recipes

Wow, it's been a while since I posted.  I kept thinking I need to write something but then other things got in the way and I didn't come back to that thought until I was laying in bed.  But I'm here now and I want to mention a new recipe and a change to an old recipe that met with great success at the Thanksgiving table. 

First the old recipe--I shared it with you during the 5 Days of Preparing for the Holidays blog hop.   I had to make the Butternut Squash casserole dairy free for my aunt so I substituted margarine for the butter and apple cider for the milk.  I think I actually prefer it the new way.  So here is the updated recipe.

Butternut Squash Casserole (makes 2 qts)

Aprox. 3 lb butternut squash                                     3/4 C sugar     
3/4 C apple cider                                                      3 T flour
6 T melted margarine                                                1/2 t cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten                                                           1/8 t ground cloves
1/2 t vanilla extract                                                     1/8 t nutmeg

Topping (mix & freeze separately or make on serving day)

1/2 C crushed vanilla wafer cookies
1/4 C brown sugar
2 T melted margarine

 

Assembly Directions
Peel squash, remove seeds and cube.  Place squash in large sauce pan and cover with water.  Bring water to a boil, then lower temp, cover and cook 25-30 minutes.  Drain squash and place in mixing bowl.  Beat until smooth (for really smooth pulp use a food processor).  Add milk, butter, eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Combine sugar, flour, and spices and add to squash mixture.  Mix well and transfer to freezer container (you can use a gallon freezer bag).  If you make the topping today, mix wafers and brown sugar and put in a quart size freezer bag and attach to the squash bag.

Cooking directions
Thaw completely overnight.  Pour the squash into a greased 2 qt baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Meanwhile melt 2 T of butter and combine with wafer crumbs and brown sugar. Remove the squash, sprinkle with topping.  Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 12-15 minutes.

 

Now to the new recipe--The man who made us petition to take the very filthy couch off his hands must have felt a little guilty because he also gave my husband a free smoker/roaster oven.  I've been dying to try and smoke a turkey and now I had my chance.

 

I used this Turkey in a Smoker recipe with a 12 pound bird.  Because I have such a large extended family, I also made a traditionally roasted turkey and conducted an informal taste test.  The smoked turked won hands down.  It was so much easier to prepare--I didn't have to brine it the night before, it was much easier to debone, the pan juices made an excellent gravy and I didn't even add salt.  This is the way to go.

 

Review: Vocal Coach

Back in my high school days when it seemed everyone was labeled and put into a category, I was one of the singers.  Between Concert Choir, Show Choir, Jazz Ensemble, Madrigals, school musicals and solo & ensemble festivals, I spent a dozen hours or more a week singing.  My Schnickelfritz inherited my love of music.  We used songs to memorize phonics basics, times tables, and the books of the Bible.  His Mapping the World by Heart class is using Geography Songs to learn all the countries.  One of my key gauges to his emotional well being is if I can hear him humming or singing to himself.

Through the Homeschool Crew, we've been given the opportunity to review a DVD set that will help him improve his singing technique and perhaps prepare for more formal music training.  Chris and Carole Beatty of The Vocal Coach have been training singers for over 40 years.  Since not everyone can travel to their Tennessee studio, they're willing to come into your home in the form of two DVD courses.  We received the Teaching Kids to Sing set.

The three disc sets contains:

• Building Foundations That Last DVD (43:11) explains that singers are vocal athletes and covers posture, tone, breathing, and warm ups.
• Essential Skills for Growing Voices  (31.38) helps the vocal athletes learn concepts like rhythm, dynamics, tempo, diction and tips to protect their vocal health.
• The Accompaniment Tracks CD has samples of every warm-up and song from the DVDs, first with the vocals and then just the accompaniment track.

Obviously, the DVDs are short enough to view in one sitting but we chose to break them up into lessons, studying one concept each day.  Chris Beatty gives a 4-5 minute lesson and then teaches a song  (okay, one was a breathing rap) to reinforce and remember what you've learned.  My son was amused by his example of slouching ruining your singing voice and also clearly understood the visual aid of blowing up a balloon in a restrictive space vs out in the open.  I sang all the songs with him and even lay on the floor with him to practice diaphragmatic breathing.  True to his nature, I caught him humming some of the songs to himself in his free time. 

I even learned a few things in the vocal health lesson.  Did you know a singer can lose up to a gallon of water through his mouth during a concert?  I also learned a new, less damaging way to clear phlegm from my throat (something I've unfortunately needed this past week).  WARNING TO THE SQUEAMISH--there are several clips of actual vocal cords taken while someone is screaming and clearing their throats.  I've known for a while my son wasn't cut out to be a doctor, there's no blood but he was definitely put out at the thought of a camera going down some one's throat.

In our area, it seems like most homeschoolers choose violin if they're going to pursue any music lessons, but think of all the advantages of singing.  You're more likely to have early successes with singing than violin.  There's no instrument to buy or rent.  You'll never leave your instrument at home or forget it after practice.  You can perform alone or with an ensemble.

We will  review these lessons again before Schnickelfritz auditions for the local college's children's choir, but other than that I'm not sure we would view them over and over.  Perhaps the set is best suited to a choir director (church or co-op) who could lend the DVD to new kids who join. 

The three disc set sells for $44.99 and is targeted to kids from kindergarten through 6th grade.  The Vocal Coach also has a much more extensive DVD set that some of the other crew members reviewed so you may want to check that out if you have a serious singer in the family.

 

I  received a free set of Teaching Kinds to Sing discs  through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review now was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

A Christmas Scrapbook

Oh how I debated about what to include in my Arts & Crafts posting.  I could have chosen the handmade ornaments the 4-H kids made to decorate a tree to be auctions for charity.  I thought about finding lots of cool ideas on Pinterest, but you can do that just as well yourself.  While we haven't gotten to the busiest part of the busy season yet, you might want to take on a new project for this year anyway.  So my craft project actually takes place  after Christmas.  Just make sure you take lots of pictures on Christmas Day and at the parties you attend.  Then on those cold winter days when you just want to stay inside, make a scrapbook page or two to help preserve those memories.

My step-mom bought me Christmas themed album long ago and it sat around in the closet until  I got married.  That's when I decided that I'd devote a two-page spread to each Christmas my husband and I (and anyone else who came along) spent together--starting with our previous Christmas when we were just engaged..  Ironically, I was attending a spcrapbooking party, composing Year 1's pages when I shared some symptoms with a friend and she suggested I get a pregnancy test.  She was right!  I knew Year 2's title would be Baby's First Christmas!  Someday, I'll pass this album one to him and I hope he'll treasure it the way I do.

I mentioned in Monday's post that I love sharing stories and memories about the ornaments we've purchased and made.  The same holds true, even more so, for the Christmas Scrapbook.  Sometimes the memories are bittersweet--looking through last year's pages I saw three family members that are no longer with us.  Sometimes it's about showing Schnickelfritz that yes, he was that tiny once but look how he's grown.  I even wrote about the time I woke up three weeks before Christmas to a puddle in the living room floor and how the plumber cut 16 holes in the wall looking for the leak (I can almost laugh about it now).

I always try to include one of our family Christmas cards in the spread.  Then I fill up the rest with photos of who we see, how the house is decorated, whatever.  You don't have to spend a ton of money either--buy scrapbook elements after Christmas when they're 75% off.  You may be able to find all the digital scrapbooking freeies you want online (assuming you have a program to manipulate and print them).  My album pages are 10 x 10 so I could arrange something and print it on 8x11 photo paper and then journal in the remaining 2 inches or add a ribbon or something.



So don't let those precious pictures sit in a shoebox.  Arrange them so you can share them year after year.


 

Gift Giving--Stop the Insanity

I know it's getting close to Christmas when certain commercials pop up on TV.  You know the ones--the Salad Shooter, the Clapper, and the Chia Pet.   Why is this the only time of year they show up?  Because they know there are people out there desperate enough to buy them because they feel obligated to give something to their cousin's neighbor's hairdresser whom they don't know enough about to buy a gift with meaning. 

Please understand, I'm not against giving gifts, I'm just upset when the real reason for the season can't be found behind the crowded malls, the commercials, the stores that push "holiday" shopping starting in October, and the credit card bills that will follow.  For the past four years, our church has participated in the Advent Conspiracy.  Just watch this video ....

We spend the four weeks before Christmas learning to Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All.   If your church doesn't participate, you can download message and resources from the Advent Conspiracy website.  Their charity is Living Water, but you can give to  local shelters or food pantries and make a difference in your neighborhood.

In our home we make homemade gifts for the Toolman's co-workers, the neighbors, and co-op moms.  In the past we've made jams with berries we picked ourselves and mini persimmon bread loaves (picked the persimmons too).   They receive something to know we've been thinking about them, and I get to spend an afternoon in the kitchen with my son (we always watch Ratatouille first, to get him in the cooking spirit).   That's Spending Less and Giving More right there--I gave quality time to my son, I gave the work of my hands to my friends and other than containers I didn't spend anything. The loving all comes from taking the money I didn't spend on meaningless gifts and donating it to one of our church's programs--we sponsor children in Peru through Compassion International, Living Water, and an orphanage in Mexico.

As for Worshiping Fully, don't you think Christ is more honored when we share His love with others than in seeing who can pile presents higher under the tree?

Side Dishes from the Freezer

At some point before the end of the year, between decorating, homeschooling, keeping the house clean, and entertaining I'm sure you'll reach a point where you wished you had more hours in the day.  Well Santa's not sharing his secret of how he slows down time enough to visit all those homes in one night so we need some other tricks up our sleeves.  One of my favorites is preparing and freezing dishes ahead of time .  I assure you the recipes below are worthy of a place on your Thanksgiving or Christmas table--even though they come out of the freezer.

Butternut Squash Casserole (makes 2 qts)

Aprox. 3 lb butternut squash                                     3/4 C sugar      
3/4 C milk                                                                 3 T flour
6 T melted butter                                                       1/2 t cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten                                                           1/8 t ground cloves
1/2 t vanilla extract                                                     1/8 t nutmeg 

Topping (mix & freeze separately or make on serving day)

1/2 C crushed vanilla wafer cookies
1/4 C brown sugar
2 T melted butter

Assembly Directions
Peel squash, remove seeds and cube.  Place squash in large sauce pan and cover with water.  Bring water to a boil, then lower temp, cover and cook 25-30 minutes.  Drain squash and place in mixing bowl.  Beat until smooth (for really smooth pulp use a food processor).  Add milk, butter, eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Combine sugar, flour, and spices and add to squash mixture.  Mix well and transfer to freezer container (you can use a gallon freezer bag).  If you make the topping today, mix wafers and brown sugar and put in a quart size freezer bag and attach to the squash bag.

Cooking directions
Thaw completely overnight.  Pour the squash into a greased 2 qt baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Meanwhile melt 2 T of butter and combine with wafer crumbs and brown sugar. Remove the squash, sprinkle with topping.  Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 12-15 minutes.

Shoe Peg Corn Casserole (makes 1 qt)

1 can Shoe Peg Corn                                                      1 can Cream of Celery soup
1 can French Cut Green Beans                                        1/2 C sour cream
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Topping ( make on serving day)

1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 C butter, melted

Assembly Directions
Combine corn, beans, onion, cheese, soup, sour cream and put in a 8 X 4 loaf pan, 1 qt dish, or freezer bag.  Store in freezer.

Cooking directions
Thaw completely overnight.  (Pour into dish, if you stored in a freezer bag).  Top with crackers and pour melted butter over top.  Bake for 35 minutes at 350. 


I love to cook, but I don't want to spend time in the kitchen that I could be spending with visiting friends and family.

 

Decorating--Why we do the things we do

As you prepare to decorate this Christmas , have you ever really thought about why you drag those boxes (and boxes and boxes) out of storage and put them up for about four weeks and then take them down again? 

Perhaps you're like Snoopy and his lights and display contest, seeking at least bragging rights on your block, if not fortune.  You use up so much wattage that the power company sends you a Thank You card in January.  I actually lived two houses down from one of these folks growing up.  He would take a week off work to string lights over everything that didn't move and his garage was full of animated characters.  We called it Disneyland East,  and often something worse under our breaths when we couldn't get into our own driveway for all the traffic and gawkers filing past. 

Or maybe you're a Martha Stewart wanna-be and this is your chance to display all the crafts you've made.  Once when I was stuck in bed sick I watched one of her Christmas specials.  She was showing off a little village where the rooftops were made from pine cone scales.  Now perhaps Martha thinks its no big deal to ask one of her minions to dissect pine cones and reapply them with a glue gun but I have other things that need to get accomplished during the month of December (heck, it would probably take me November too!)

In both these cases, I think the decorator is trying to bring attention to themselves rather than the real reason for the season.

Now before I start sound too much like the Grinch, let me assure you that I love the lights and the garlands and the candles in the window.  Remember, I asked you to think about why you decorate.  Here are my reasons:  we are celebrating the birth of our Savior.  Last weekend we celebrated my Schnickelfritz's birthday and so we decorated with balloons and streamers.   So we decorate for Jesus' birthday too--only with strands of lights and evergreen trees.  But we always have a nativity set as one of the first thing guests see as they come in our home.  Mine is a very special set of Hummels given to me by my grandmother over 30 years ago.

Which brings up my second reason for decorating--Christmas is a time for family and memories.  Every time I unwrap the Hummels I think of Gram.  When we decorate our tree, each ornament has a memory.  We try to pick up one on every trip we take.  Others commemorate special events in our lives--there's a moose in a basketball uniform from when Fritz started playing with Upwards.  I've got a dough ornament of a blond girl skiing from when I learned decades ago.  As we place them on the tree, we relive those stories with each other.  Nothing special happen to you this year?  Then pick an afternoon and make ornaments with your kids and that can be your memory.  (I think my mother still has a moldy salt-dough star that I helped paint when I was 2 or 3.  It still has to go on the tree, even if its just hidden in the back).

So my challenge to you as you pull out your boxes is to decorate with meaning this year--not just to impress others or out of habit.

Review: Activity Bags

After four years of homeschooling, I've come to accept the fact that there's nothing in the world I can do to make penmanship practice fun for my Schnickelfritz.  We just have to trudge through it knowing there are better things to look forward to--like science.  Here's a subject that can really bring a "wow factor" to our school days--it can be hands on, colorful, even explosive (within reason). Unfortunately,  I don't always have the time to plan and organize these experiments.  How great that a company like Activity Bags has done most of the upfront work for me.  We recently downloaded three volumes of Science Experiments in a Bag to review.

GRADES:   K through 8
FOCUS:  Biology, Nature & General Science
25 Experiments
eBook 1 webpage
It may be semantics, but I would call some of these activities, rather than experiments.  There is no hypothesis to prove or disprove when making geometric shapes with marshmallows and toothpicks.  Some activities will require days or weeks (growing seeds, fungus, watching garbage decompose underground).  Others can be done in one session (crushing cans, skewering a balloon without popping it).   You'll probably have most of the supplies and materials in your home already, but anything you don't have can be found at Walmart.

GRADES:  K through 8
FOCUS:  Chemistry, Human Body & General Science
25 Experiments
ebook 2 webpage
All of the experiments can be done in one session.  The human body activities focus on the five senses.  The chemistry activities cover mixing vinegar and baking soda, cleaning copper pennies, and making a cabbage juice litmus test.  The general science activities could really be classified as physics:  siphons, imbalanced forces creating motion, the flow of electrons, and static electricity.
Again, there are no exotic materials to procure.

GRADES:  K through 8
FOCUS:  Chemistry
25 Experiments
eBook 3 webpage
Anytime you can drop Mentos in a two-liter of soda and log it as science hours, you've got a hit on your hands.  Other activities are turning pennies green, making glue and the old standby--a baking soda and vinegar volcano.  On that note, all these books include a chart showing which experiments are best done outside.



So why is it called Science in a Bag?  Because the non-perishable supplies can be assembled ahead of time in a plastic bag.  There a tips on organizing an experiment swap--each family preparing say, 10 bags of one experiment and then trading bags with nine other families.   The supply list for each experiment is listed in quantities for 1,10,15 or 20 bags.  There are also printable experiment logs to record observations, answer supplied questions, and take general notes. 

Schnickelfritz is currently studying Astronomy and we didn't find any experiments to tie in with that subject.  Instead we chose to keep it light--trying out the activities that we thought would give us a real "bang" as we wrapped up our school day.  I didn't require him to fill out the log sheets--we were just reinforcing the fact the science can be fun.  As such, these books might be good for grandparents or someone seeking to be the coolest babysitter on the block.

Speaking of "bang"  here's a few pictures of the can crusher experiment from book one.  We we rinsed out an empty can and let it dry overnight.  Then we poured in a tablespoon of water to cover the bottom and placed the can on the stove till it boiled one minute.  Then, using tongs, we plunged the can into a pot of very cold water.  There was a loud POP and the sides of the can caved in. 

We learned it was important to wait until you heard the boiling bubbles in the can before starting the timer.  Our first try we used the observation of steam as our key and the result was less intense.

Each eBook sells for $15 on the Activity Bags website.  You can buy volumes 1 and 2 as a bundle for $27.  Other bags are available with reading games, math games and travel activities.

 

I  received a free downloads of the 3 Science Experiments in a Bag volumes through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review now was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

It's Soup Season!

Around here, most people look forward to the first day of deer season.  But for me, it's the start of soup season.  All summer it's been hot enough to fry eggs on the sidewalk and the last thing I wanted to do was fix or eat something hot.  But now there's frost in the morning and the smell of leaves burning and when I come in from walking the dog I want, no need, something to warm my inards.

This summer I got a free box of old Taste of Home Annual recipes and I've been just waiting for the day to load up the stock pot and test out some new soups.  The first one is a winner---from 1999, here's my version of ....

Garden Chowder

1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter
5 cups total of your choice of chopped vegetables (I used potato, cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots)
3 cups chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk (I used whole)
2 cups shedded colby cheese

In a large stock pot, suate red peppers and onions in butter until tender.  Add the remaining veggies, stock, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.  Combine milk and flour until smooth, stir into the pot.  Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add the cheese and stir until melted.

Makes 2 quarts