Christmas, Caterpillars and Chips

Christmas has come and gone, along with Santa, leaving two very happy kids behind.

 

We found a Christmas caterpillar too :) Actually we found many!  They love frangipani leaves.

And . . . our final discovery . . . kale chips!  A friend made these as hors d'oeuvres and the kids could not stop eating them :)  Healthy "junk food" grown in the garden!

Kale Chips


Ingredients


Kale
Sea Salt
Pepper
Olive oil


Instructions


Tear up the kale into bite size pieces.  
Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  
Spread out into a thin layer on a baking pan
Bake at 350 C for 15 minutes
Enjoy!

An Early Birthday Party

Madison's birthday is on the 22nd of December so we traditionally have a party with her friends early before all of the Christmas madness starts.  This year I hosted a baking extravaganza here on Keewatin for five little girls.  It was wonderful and tiring.  They explored the schooner, were swinging in the rigging, held chickens, enjoyed a nature walk, and of course we baked.  We made sponge cakes with honey chocolate icing and double chocolate chunk cookies.  They snacked on chicken wrapped in bacon and a fruit platter, and quenched their thirst with homemade hot chocolate.  We all had a great day.  Take home treats included a bag of baked goodies and a jar of Madison's Mix.

The boat looking beautiful before the party

Happy little girls!

Happy Birthday to you!

Mommy received the first piece of cake!

Presents and yet more swinging in the rigging - they couldn't get enough :)

A Field Trip and A Fungus Lunch

"Next time, buy eight!" was the request (not from the kids - although they did love them) after we lunched on our stuffed portobello mushrooms.

This lunch was inspired by a trip to the new Fresh Market grocery store nearby.  They have a huge selection of organic fruits and veggies.  The kids loved it!

One of my favorite things about homeschooling is the ability it gives me to feed our children nutritiously at every single meal and snack.  There are no processed "school snacks" in our cupboard, so every treat is made from scratch and there is no temptation to feed them junk food.  

STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

INGREDIENTS

4 Portobello mushrooms

2 cups bread crumbs

1 can crab meat

3 Tbsp. butter

1/2 onion - finely diced

2 cloves garlic - minced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese - grated

chives

sage

thyme

salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Wipe the mushrooms gently with a damp cloth and place them in a baking pan.

3.  In a large bowl, combine the other ingredients.

4.  Separate the mixture into four equal amounts and form it into a flattened circle.

5.  Place the stuffing circles on each of the mushroom caps.

6.  Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Green Soup

"What's in it?" was the first suspicious question - not from the kids :)
"Zucchini," I replied.
"Wow! It's delicious!"

Some friends we met from the Dominican Republic on our sailing expedition introduced our kids to this yummy soup.  This is the first time I have tried making it, but it is definitely a favorite now.

GREEN SOUP


INGREDIENTS


1 large zucchini, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
fresh thyme 
2 Tbsp. butter
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
4 sprigs parsley


DIRECTIONS


1. Gently saute the onion, garlic and thyme with the butter in a saucepan until translucent.
2. Add the chicken broth, water, zucchini, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Puree in two batches in a blender and serve with a floating parsley garnish.

Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Madison was in the galley again this morning.  We were treated to banana chocolate chunk muffins for breakfast!

                                   

Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a medium bowl blend the banana, oil, egg and vanilla together.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in the banana mixture until just blended. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling 3/4 full.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

More Baking . . .

Madison is hooked on home economics!

Since she started baking she has turned out some creative crepes with tons of toppings:

CREPES 

Ingredients

         1 cup all-purpose flour

         2 eggs

         1/2 cup milk

         1/2 cup water

         1/4 teaspoon salt

         2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Next on the agenda was Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chunks and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

We all love Madison's enthusiasm for this new subject and do all we can to encourage her!  :)

Colored Greens :)

Tonight with our Corned Beef and potatoes I substituted collard greens for the cabbage I ordinarily use.  Madison confessed that she originally thought I said colored greens until she saw my blog post about what was in the garden!  :)  I thought that was pretty cute.  So the consensus is that collard greens (and colored greens) are delicious.

Home Economics and Home Improvement

Last night Madison decided she wanted brownies.  She asked me if we had any brownie mix and I said we didn't - we try not to buy any packaged foods.  I suggested she look on the internet for a recipe from scratch.  She looked at me in amazement (apparently she didn't realize brownies could be made without Duncan Hines Fudge Brownie Mix) but soon found a recipe.  She extracted a promise from Brock to wake her up early in the morning so the brownies would be ready in time for breakfast.  The results were amazing!

   

This afternoon our woodworking class centered around our dinghy.  We taught the kids how to use a palm sander (including fitting it with sandpaper - a task I still find difficult).  They spent the better part of an hour sanding the seats and oars of our Boston Whaler.

So today both school and the schooner received appropriate amounts of attention :)


Best Breakfast Brownie Recipe

Prep Time: 25 Minutes 

Cook Time: 35 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 

Servings: 16 

INGREDIENTS: 

BATTER

1/2 cup butter 

1 cup brown sugar 

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon baking powder 

FROSTING

3 tablespoons butter, softened 

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 tablespoon honey 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup confectioners' sugar 

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan. 

2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. 

Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan. 

3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook. 

4. To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 

and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm. 

Radish Recipe!

Radishes with Pasta and Arugula

20 radishes, sliced

2 cups arugula

2 tablespoons olive oil


1 medium onion, chopped


12-ounce package penne pasta cooked


1/4 cup cooking water from pasta


1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Salt and pepper

  1. Wash and trim radishes. Thinly slice.

  2. Rinse arugula leaves and tear into small pieces.

 3. Heat oil in large pan. Add onions and cook just until they begin to soften.    Add radish slices and cook for five minutes.  Add arugula and cook for another two minutes until radishes are almost translucent and arugula wilts.  Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
4. Add to pasta and toss.  Add cooking liquid from pasta and stir. Sprinkle cheese and toss.
5. Serve with additional grated parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.


I was looking for a way to cook radishes to see if planting them in our garden would be a good idea.  I also have a ton of arugula to use up and the kids find it a little spicy in salads.  In this recipe it is all delicious and they came back for seconds  . . . and thirds . . . and fourths!