Slime

The girls and I had fun making slime.

Here are the directions:

1. Empty an entire 8 ounce bottle of Elmer's glue into a mixing bowl. Fill the empty bottle with warm water, but the lid on then shake. Pour the water mixture into the mixing bowl and use a spoon to mix well.
2. Add a drop or two of food coloring.
3. Measure 1/2 cup of warm water into a plastic cup and add a teaspoon of Borax powder to the water. Stir the solution.
4. While stirring the glue in the mixing bowl, slowly add a little of the Borax solution. When firm enough mix with your hands, keep adding the Borax to the glue and don't stop mixing until you get slime. The more you add the more firm it will get, make it as stringy or as firm as you like.
We put all of the Borax and water in, but may not add so much next time. The girls had fun with this stuff for hours. It keeps in a plastic bag for days.

Christmas cookie puzzle

I found this on the internet (somewhere?) and i can't wait to give a try with the little ones:)

Christmas Cookie Puzzle

This is a fun gift or activity for the child (or child-like person) in your life. An edible puzzle, to be decorated to your heart’s content and then eaten afterwards. Who says you can’t play with your food?

These are a lot of fun to make and after snapping the above photo, I let my son have at ‘er. He had a blast smearing the frosting and mixing all the colours together into an unappealing grey mass. It may not have looked very appetizing but he had so much fun and after scraping off an inch of frosting, it was still very edible. :)

You can make these as intricate or as simple as you like. It’s all left up to your imagination… or time.

The process is simple:

• Roll cookie dough into a rectangle (you’ll want it to be a little thicker then normal for stability). Lay desired cookie cutters on top of the rolled out dough to figure out placement. Press cookie cutters into the dough, then press walnut, pecan or almond halves into the dough to create handles. Remove cookie cutters and bake according to recipe instructions.
• Once baked, immediately re-cut the shapes with appropriate cookie cutters. Allow to cool completely before carefully removing them (it’s best to roll these out and bake them on the same piece of parchment paper so that you can pop the pieces out easier).
• Once removed, decorate all pieces with frosting (recipe below) and allow to dry before putting the puzzle back together, to avoid smudging. Package up in cellophane to give away or eat and enjoy. :)

The frosting I used is perfect for kids. It can be made thick enough to spread or watered down just a tad more so you can put it into resealable plastic bags and pipe it on. It also dries nice and hard so you don’t have to worry about any of the pieces smudging if you are wanting to gift it. But of course, you can use royal icing if you prefer.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

7 tablespoons of milk will give you a frosting thick enough to spread, add additional milk to reach your desired consistency.

• 5 cups icing sugar (confectioners sugar), sifted
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 7 + tablespoons milk

Mix together all ingredients until smooth, adding more milk as necessary to get desired consistency.

Tip: If piping onto cookies check the consistency by doing the 10 second ribbon test. Drag a knife through the frosting and lift to make a ribbon. It should smooth out in 5-10 seconds. If the icing comes together before 5 seconds, add more sugar. If it comes together after 10 seconds, add more liquid. This will ensure that it is firm enough to pipe but still loose enough to flood the cookie.

Hummus

Hummus

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (or about 5 oz. of dried chickpeans or garbanzo beans which have been soaked overnight and cooked for)

1/2 cup vegetable oil (typically olive oil is used)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 whole scallion

2 garlic cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1 Blend all ingredients except for beans in a food processor.

2 Add beans and process until it resembles a chunky dip; not completely smooth.

3 Enjoy!

Asian Ramen Noodles

Ok, so we were craving asian food and this is what Lanning came up with. Brilliant! 

First:  Make top ramen according to package directions....add the seasoning packet then

drain most of the broth but leaving enough so the noodles are moist and the seasonings are diluted

Then: add cooked chicken and cooked(or raw) vegetables. We added spinach but it would be 

yummy with anything. 

Finally: eat as is! So good. Or if you want to add your own spices that is yummy too. Our favorite is the curry powder or the cumin. If you like it hot, crushed red pepper is a hit. 

Banana Cake

ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup ripe mashed bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk (i just put 1/2 cup regular milk mixed with 1/2 T vinegar let sit for 5 min)
1/2 cup shortening(i used 1/2 cup butter)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt....add bananas, buttermilk, shortening, eggs, and vanilla....beat on low til combined than beat on medium for 3 minutes
Bake 30-35 minutes in greased pan or in two round pans at 350 degrees.  I just used a white frosting with butter, milk, vanilla and powder sugar...but i'm sure it'd be good with a cream cheese frosting too.

meat loaf

from my friend Gina Larson

2 lbs ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sage

combine all ingredients, mix well. Place in 9x6 pan or 8 inch square.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
Remove from oven, pour off excess juices. Spoon enough meatloaf sauce to cover top. Reserve additional sauce for passing. Return to oven and bake for 20 more minutes or until done.
(sometimes I add a chopped up green or red pepper, if I have one)


meatloaf Sauce:
2 cups ketchup
1 cup brown sugar

mix and heat in microwave.

*and you have to serve meatloaf with green beans and a backed potato! yummy.

power smoothie

Julia was a little skeptical of the spinach smoothie, but she ended up wanting seconds!
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 cup orange juice (preferably the good stuff, like the not-from-concentrate orange juice)
3 tablespoons oat groats or 2 tablespoons steel cut oats (optional…kind of…)*
3/4 cup fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt (make sure it’s Greek and not Greek-style)
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cups crushed ice

*To help your blender out, you can soak the oak groats in the orange juice overnight (either in the jar of your blender or in in a glass). This will make it easier to blend and will also eliminate a lot of the grittiness from the oats.

Combine ingredients in the jar of your blender and blend. You may (read: probably will) need to run it through twice. Serve immediately. Makes 1 giant smoothie, 2 smaller smoothies, or 3 snack-sized smoothies.

Pigs in a Blanket

Mix Together:

2 cups flour

1 T sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

Then add:

4 T butter cut in pieces mix til cumbly

Then stir in:

1/2 cup grated cheese

make a well then pour in:

3/4 cup buttermilk (i use regular milk w/ almost 1T vinegar added to make buttermilk)

Let sit for 3 minutes then roll out and cut in triangles. Wrap around hot dog (we cut the hot dogs in half to make a better meat/bun ratio:)

Bake on cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 12-13 minutes. It is a really yummy dough recipe.

BBQ Chicken pizza

Pizza crust:
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup cold water

dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand for 10 min. in mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, olive oil, honey and cold water. Add yeast mixture knead with dough hook (or by hand) for 5 min. form into a ball and place in oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise about 1 hour.

Roll out dough and put on a cookie sheet. Prebake crust for 10 min at 450 degrees before adding toppings. After topping pizza back again for 10 to 12 min.

BBQ pizza:
1 pizza crust
3 chicken breasts
2 or 3 cups cups barbecue sauce, divided
6 oz provolone cheese grated
6 oz Gouda cheese (or mozzarella) grated
1/4 a red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a ziploc bag, combine chicken and 2/3 cup of barbecue sauce. Marinate in fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

To cook, place chicken and marinade in small baking dish and bake for 30 min at 325 degrees. let chicken cool, then slice into thin pieces.

Sprinkle half of the grated cheese over crust, Spoon barbecue sauce over cheese; cover with chicken and onion. Sprinkle on remaining cheese. Bake for 10 to 12 min at 450 degrees. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Cabbage salad

2 chicken breasts cooked and sliced
1/2 head of cabbage
1/2 cup slivered almonds
4 green onions chopped
1 pkg. chicken Ramen noodles (broken in small pieces)
1 cup frozen peas

Dressing:
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup oil
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 pkg. Top Ramen seasoning mix

yummy!

Graham Crackers and Milk

These two little girls love graham crackers and milk as a bedtime snake, especially Ruby. She's always asking for graham crackers and milk. It reminds me of when I was little and would eat graham crackers with milk at the kitchen table.

Crock Pot Breakfast

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 8 hrs 15 mins
• Servings: 10

About This Recipe

"Load up the crock pot the night before and wake up to an easy breakfast."

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 1 (32 ounce) bags frozen hash brown potatoes
• 1 lb bacon, cut into small pieces -cooked and drained
• 1/2 cup onions, diced
• 3/4 lb shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Layer the ingredients in your crock pot in this order-.
2. 1/2 of the potatoes- on the bottom.
3. 1/2 of the bacon.
4. 1/2 of the onions.
5. 1/2 of the cheese.
6. potatoes.
7. bacon.
8. onions.
9. cheese.
10. Beat the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper together. Pour this over the whole mixture. Cook on low for ten to twelve hours.

Mom's Lasagna

Cook one 1 lb. ground beef, drain grease and add half a chopped onion. Add 1 jar of Prego sauce and heat.

Mix one carton of cottage cheese with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.

In a 9 x 13 pan place lasagna noodles on the bottom (the regular noodles- not the no cook kind)
layer with half of your meat mixture followed by
half of your cottage cheese/ Parmesan mixture
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
another layer of noodles
the other half of the cottage cheese mixture
one cup of mozzarella
and end with the other half of your meat on top.

Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

*This lasagna is super easy to make and it tastes divine! I am normally not a lasagna lover but this recipe tastes so good. For a wonderful dinner add a piece of french bread, and a green salad. Yummy! Even Julia and Ruby love this dinner.

Navajo Fry Bread

A few weeks ago I made this recipe and wanted to try it again tonight in honor of Fritz's birthday(he always makes the BEST Navajo tacos!!!)

2 cups flour

1 T baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup milk

oil for frying

-stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.

-stir in milk and mix until the dough comes together...add more flour if needed to be able to handle the dough

-on a floured surface knead the dough til smooth, at least 5 minutes.

-let the dough rest for 5 minutes

-heat oil in skillet to 365 degrees (i just guessed)

-break off 3/4 cup sized pieces of dough and shape into round discks 1/4 inch thick, making a thinner depressed area in the center

-fry breads in the hot oil until golden on both sides, turning only once, drain on paper towels.

-top fry bread with beans, ground beef, lettuce, cheese and picante sauce (or whatever taco toppings you like)

They are yummy but still aren't as good as when Fritz makes them, he learned straight from the Navajo's after all :)

Homemade Fries(potato wedges)

Living in Idaho and all we sure eat a lot of potatoes...this seems to be the favorite way to eat them in our house!

I don't really use a recipe but here's what I do:

-Slice the potatoes lengthwise leaving the skins on (we like them kind of thick)

-put them in cold old on the stove top and then slowly heat them up. Just coat and cook them in the oil long enough to let the oil soak into the potatoes. (i use olive or canola oil)

-Sprinkle with salt and pepper (or any spice that you like)

-I like to put them on a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet so the excess oil can drip off and also they won't stick to the pan. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 20-30minutes (less if you cut them thinner and longer if you like them crunchier...)

-We like to dip them in catsup or fry sauce(catsup mixed with mayo) Very healthy;) just kidding.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup from Barefoot Contessa
1 whole (2 split chicken breast)cooked
2 quarts Chicken Stock
1 cup diced carrots (I add more)
1 cup diced celery (I add more)
2 cups wide egg noodles
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a large pot add the celery, carrots, and noodle. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, until the noodles are cooked. Add the cooked chicken meat and parsley and heat through.

Chicken Salad

Chicken salad
3 cups chicken (I like to use a rotisserie chicken from Costco or even canned chicken works)
1 or 2 cans water chestnuts
1 cup celery (I do more like 2 cups)
1 cup almonds
1/2 lb. red grapes, cut in half. (I always add a lot more)
1 cup mayo
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 tsp. paprika
mix the mayo, soy sauce, lemon juice and paprika together and pour over the other ingredients. Refrigerate and serve in pita pocket or croissant.