Five Fun Soups
- Monster Soup. This amazing recipe tastes like guacamole soup. For the grown ups I make sure to add tortilla strips to the top and a little chopped tomato.
- Stone Soup is a current favorite. The best parts about this recipe are the literature tie-in and the versatile ingredient list.
- Split Pea Soup. I have to admit, this one is hit and miss. Sometimes they eat it and other times it is not the best received meal. But we have it several times during the winter as I love it. Best after the holidays with the leftover ham bone.
- Apple Soup. This one goes really well with grilled cheese sandwiches. We have this more in the fall but it is a great winter soup as well.
- Popcorn soup. This is usually a corn based soup but since the best part is the addition of popcorn at the table you could use any base. Give the popcorn trick a try as it is fabulous. The girls love to hear it sizzle into the soup.
Pink Porridge
What's For Lunch Wednesday, Caterpillars
Valentine's Frozen Banana Ice Cream
Audrey helped me make the banana ice cream and then decorate the mummy. Maurene had to be called to the table to enjoy her snack as she was too busy playing with her new train tracks.
For decorating I made a simple frosting with plain yogurt and powdered sugar. We had candy eyes left over from the first mummy we made. The girls loved eating pink ice cream and devoured the entire cones. I felt good feeding them a treat made with much less sugar and (other than the mummy eyes) no artificial dyes.
Muffin Tin Monday, Frozen Banana Ice Cream
Five Fun Kitchen Crafts
On occasion we use our kitchen to make stuff that is not edible. The girls love these activities almost more than projects that involve yummy food.
- Crazy Crayons. We made these a while back but I have seen them on Pinterest recently in smaller form as Valentine's gifts. Cute either way.
- Sidewalk Paint. I got this idea from Pinterest as well. No, I am not addicted. We used it recently when the weather was nice. I might even let the girls do it inside the garage with the door down when it is cold. They loved it.
- Play Dough. I got our recipe from our Parents as Teachers coordinator. I love all of their ideas. My girls had so much fun when our coordinator would visit.
- Bird Feeder. Audrey loves animals. All animals. During the winter she wants to feed the birds and the summer she loves the Farmers Market with all of the visiting dogs. It keeps her happy so I do not have to have a furry creature in my home.
- Bath Crayons. So simple and my girls love to draw on the tub. They go through the store bought ones so fast I started making these with them to keep up with the fun. Now they can have loads of bath time fun.
Valentine's Juice Jigglers
It did not matter to Maurene, she still loved making them. The girls also loved eating them. I was a little uncertain as they have turned their noses up to Jello before. This is the first time I have made anything from scratch instead of using a pre-flavored box. It was a success! You should try this for a fun Valentine's treat. Maybe you will have better luck making Jiggler Squares.
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- 4 cups juice
- 2 cups cut up fruit
Pour gelatin into a pan and add 1 cup juice. Let set for 2 minutes so the gelatin can plump. Add remaining juice and heat on medium for about 6 minutes or until gelatin is clear. I used cherry juice so I just cooked for the 6 minutes. Place in a bowl and set in the fridge for 1 hour, stirring every 5-10 minutes. Add fruit after gelatin is set up a bit and pour into a 8 x 8 dish. Chill for 4 hours or overnight. Serve and enjoy!
- Pour gelatin into pan
- Help measure and add juice
- Stir pot
- Pour fruit into bowl
- Gather ingredients
- Cut fruit
- Assist Maurene
- Stir gelatin
What's For Lunch Wednesday, Summer Snowman
Valentine Natural Red Dyed Cake Balls
Sorry about the quality of the photos. The finished product pictures were taken at 10pm after the girls were in bed. I need studio quality lighting somewhere in my house for taking pictures when it is a good time for me. I know many people only use natural lighting and I wish I could be one of them. I have young children. Maybe someday.
Local Edition, Good Food
The girls finally were able to visit with the cows at the Iwig Dairy. Audrey named one of the numbered cows after herself. And she was able to feed a calf.
This trip filled a wish of Audrey's to visit the dairy cows. She had wanted to see them milked but once she was able to feed the calf she was happy. She still speaks of the dairy cow, Cocoa, she met last summer in Minnesota.