Friday, July 16, 2010

Green Bean Fries

To go along with my Tofu nuggets for dinner tonight. I also used grapeseed oil to make green bean fries.

I poured a bag of frozen whole green beans into hot grapeseed oil. Cook until they are dark green and skinny. (about 20 minutes) use a slotted spoon to remove and place on paper towels to cool for about 3 minutes. Lightly salt.

Yum!

Tofu nuggets

This is a very frugal, quick, and healthy meal that my kids love!
Tofu is just over $1 a block.

Ingredients:
Organic Extra-firm Tofu
1/2 cup of corn meal
2 T granulated garlic
1 t salt
grapeseed oil

Chop tofu into cubes
Combine cornmeal, garlic, and salt in a zip lock bag
Seal and shake the bag

Heat grapeseed oil on the stove. You need enough oil to cover the nuggets, about 3/4 inch.

Add Tofu cubes to ziplock bag; shake until all the cubes are coated.

Add 1/2 the cubes to hot oil. Cook until they are golden brown. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon. Place on a paper towel. Repeat with the other half of cubes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve with ketchup.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Divine Appointments

I believe in divine appointments. Yesterday my plans changed a little bit and I was intending to go to Target around 12:00 and then go swimming at a friend's house. My friend called and asked if we could come later because she had to clean out the pool. So, we decided to go to Target earlier and then eat lunch.

Target is always an adventure for us. Two kids get buckled into the giant kid cart that is hard to maneuver around the store. I have a list of things to get. The kids always distract me. BUT, I LOVE shopping at Target and prefer getting whatever I can get at that store instead of anywhere else.

Our adventure around the store led us to the right aisle at the right time. We were looking for a small storage shelf to house some things in the boys' new room. We had to excuse ourselves around several other people's carts while we were browsing and trying to find the best storage option for the boys. We ended up in a aisle with a mother and her children. This woman was bold enough to ask me if I adopted our children. And, as you all know, all 4 are adopted.

As we were talking, I found out that she is waiting to adopt a child as well and that she also homeschools. What an amazing encouragement to my day! In the months following my Hazel, my best friend, moving across the ocean, I find that God is really taking care of me and sending me little encouragements along the way.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Chocolate Cake

2 cups king arthur whole wheat flour
1/2 cup king arthur bread flour
1 T baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
3/4 cup Trader Joe's unsweetened powdered cocoa

4 eggs
1 1/4 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup organic cane sugar

sift together with fork first 6 ingredients
whisk together last 4 ingredients
combine wet and dry ingredients

preheat oven 375
pour batter into greased and floured pampered chef large bar baking stone
bake for 15 - 17 minutes

makes a perfect shallow chocolate cake that can easily be turned out of the pan and frosted.

Kids and hubby ate it up for dessert after lunch today. Pretty yummy!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Lapbooking

I'm trying to find creative ways to teach my 2 kindergarten boys, Sean and Evan, this fall. I have decided to use lapbooking for them to learn their letters. They will create a folder with different things glued to it for each letter of the Alphabet. Each lapbook will have different things they have created glued to the inside of a file folder. We will keep the folders to use as review so they can see their progress throughout the year and review what they have learned. I hope this helps my two energetic "twins" as they learn their kindergarten concepts this school year. What a great adventure we are embarking on as we take on officially homeschooling 3 children!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Delicious sausage tomato soup

1 can tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
1 chopped zucchini
1 chopped onion
1 cup water
3 T cumin
1 T sugar
4 T granulated garlic
1 T salt

Place in pan and puree with hand blender until chunky and well blended.

Add 1/2 cup of cream cheese in 1 tablespoon scoops.
simmer on low for 10 minutes

chop up your favorite sausage, pre cooked (about 1 1/2 cups chopped)

add to the soup and simmer on low for another 10 minutes.

Soup will will be very thick.

If you are serving more than 4, you may want to double the recipe. The kids and I polished this off for lunch with none left for Daddy.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

End of the year tests

I think end of the year tests are as difficult for me as they are for the kids. Sam is doing fantastic as he finishes up 1st grade, but he likes to play games with me and pretend he doesn't remember how to do things. Sam has completed and submitted all of his 1st grade reading and we're still struggling through Math. I will be so happy to be done and be able to focus on our summer schedule where we'll be doing mostly math and just reading for fun. I'm also looking forward to getting ready for next year when I have 2 kindergarteners and 1 second grader. (Abby still gets the free play curriculum for 1 more year.) I am really blessed to be able to have my children home with me. I don't thank God enough for that blessing!