Canning-I haven't blown anyone or anything up yet!

So far, in my canning adventures, I have canned green tomatoes, green beans, tomatoes, roasted tomato sauce, salsa, peach honey (it was going to be jam but turned into a more honey-like substance instead), peach jam, and blueberry jam. After all of this, you would think that I might have some clue about what I am doing-but not really. I still refer to my Ball Blue Book for everything. What I do know is that green beans are alot of work for the amount you get. I am totally against green beans anyways because, in my mind, by the time you boil them to death, there really isn't alot of nutritional valve. I am still working on how to make the jams lower in sugar. I think I need a canning book for diabetics or something. The first time I went to make the peach jam which turned into honey, the recipe called for 4 cups of peaches and 7!!!! cups of sugar. It was SWEET! Like the sweetest peach you have ever eaten. The blueberry jam I made today called for 7 cups of sugar but I only used 4. It turned out so good! We bought 60 pounds of peaches today at the Farmer's Market. I had meant to freeze peaches and make more peach jam but we got lost canning tomato sauce. Adam's garden has really taken off. He is quite the tomato grower!!! If you notice the picture, it is of our dining table that seats 8. That was from not picking tomatoes for 3 days. Since this photo, it has now been 3 more days and it has rained. I am almost afraid to see how many tomatoes he brings in for us tomorrow!

On Monday, the plan is to start Easton's Kindergarten. If we don't start Monday, we will definitely start one day next week. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I have most of the curriculum and made lists and lists on top of lists-even though I know, after about 2 days of doing what is on the list, we will find our own routine. He is so excited though. Tomorrow, after church, I told him we would go to Walmart and he could pick out his own folder. We bought some school supplies there the other night and the only thing he said he wanted was a pack of erasers. Maybe little boys don't get the same excitement from new school supplies that little girls do. I always loved getting all new stuff. He is excited to start his Math curriculum. We chose Saxon math and after reading it, I have been pretty impressed. I love that they do lots of hands on activities and I like it that their is a review everyday. I am a little unsure about how the reading stuff is going to go. We bought Abeka for K but Easton has been reading short books for a year so all of the Kindergarten stuff that I bought seems geared more to kids who cannot read at all. I think we are going to go ahead and let him read through all of the Kindergarten books and if he seems to do ok with them, we will buy first grade materials. As far as everything else, we have Bob Jones Bible Truths, Story of the World (for History), History of Little Pilgrims, some other history that had some neat activities, McRuffy Science, Explode the Code for handwriting, Hooked on Phonics for more reading, and I am getting ready to order Apologia Science because the McRuffy seems geared more for preschoolers. I will still use the McRuffy for the younger ones. For Literature, we are doing a mix of Five in a Row, On The Loose With Dr. Seuss, and a couple of other books that center a theme around a story. Yes, I am a bit of a curriculum collector and maybe even a curriculum snob. I like the idea of picking and choosing the best lessons for learning. Some books have really great information while others have much better hands on activities-which are a must to hold the kids attention. For Weston, we got Handwriting Without Tears. We have had lots of doctors tell us that after his surgery, he may have some fine motor issues and HWOT is the best handwriting curriculum for someone with issues. And, we will do the Letter of the Week stuff with Weston and the girls. I tried to get Weston to do it last year but he wanted nothing to do with it-which was fine. Now that he is a year older, he seems to be more interested in letters and learning to read like Easton. It amazes me that they have such different learning styles. Easton is so focused, hands on, and such a perfectionist. Weston, on the opposite end of the spectrum, could care less about learning anything that HE doesn't want to-which means if you aren't wanting to learn about dinosaurs, bugs, firetrucks, or John Deere's-his ears are turned off. I should also add that after I have worekd so hard to plan out the school year, teachers are horribly underpaid! I will update next week on how it is going and perhaps add a picture of Easton (now that I know how to add picts).

Summer's Coming!!!

Spring has arrived and where have I been??? Well, long story short, we are moving (this is really an understatement, we are redoing the house I grew up in that needs TONS of help), Weston needs heart surgery soon and very far away (Boston or Denver), and we are expecting a new baby in early October. That about sums up the last couple of months.

While I was moving, I came across a vegetarian cookbook that my friend Jamie gave me. I think vegetarians would use those recipes as meals, but to Adam, a meal is not a meal unless it includes meat. I came across one of my favorite recipes that I changed a little. I think in the book it was called Black Bean Side or something similar. It was meant to be served hot over rice-which we have eaten it but we like it better cold. Like I have told you before, I don't like to measure. It's not that I can't measure-it is just that by the time I find all of the little measuring cups and spoons, someone or SOMEONES have gotten into what I am trying to make and either eaten it, dumped it in the floor, or dumped something into it (how the playdough got into the muffins).

2 cans of black beans rinsed and drained
a few tomatoes chopped up
some garlic-depending on your taste
Some chopped red onion
cilantro (omit it if you hate it-we love it)
a couple of limes worth of juice (or a squirt of the stuff from the bottle)
a little salt
a diced jalepeno or habenero if you like spicy

I make it and put it in a tupperware and let it sit overnight in the fridge. It is yummy on top of tacos-fish tacos being our favorite, on salads, or as a dip for tortilla chips. Our good friends gave us tuna steaks and I grilled them with salt and pepper and we served the cold black bean salad on the side. It was yummy together!

Teething Cookies

I got this recipe this morning and plan on trying it tomorrow for Baby Sutton. He loves a good, hard cookie for his little gums. I was thinking you could probably make different flavors with different kinds of puree's (instead of using just plain applesauce). I will try it their way first before I change it.


Teething Cookies


1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp applesauce

Heat oven to 300. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until dough begins to hold together. Dust the counter with flour, then transfer the contents of bowl to the counter. Knead lightly until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes. Roll out with a rolling pin until 1/2 inch thick. Cut out cookies using an inverted cup and a clean soda-bottle cap for the hole in the middle (the finished cookie looks like a donut - perfect for little hands to hold). Transfer cookies to a greased cookie sheet. Bake until barely browned, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely on cookie sheet. They're ready to eat now (under adult supervision, of course). Store for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

I will never understand

Normally, I put the parenting magazines in the "let the kids practice scissor skills" pile-snatching the Gymboree coupons first, but tonight I was bored. I read through a few pages and came upon a fine article about how kids eat. Now, I try not to be critical BUT can someone please tell me how your kids eats only grilled cheese or white foods. I don't even understand how this starts. As an infant, we give them all kinds of veggies and fruits. What the heck happens?

My grandma believed very much in giving us a love for fresh veggies and fruits. It never dawned on me that I could have requested a grilled cheese-much to which I am sure she would have spanked me for even asking. So, how does this all happen? I have raised 4 good eaters and convereted 1 not so hot eater so I am in awe of those who say-my kid only eats grilled cheese and boxed mac and cheese. My kids have never even had boxed mac and cheese-not because I am too good to buy it but because it is DISGUSTING! So, we travel down the road a bit further, another mom says her kid eats only white things. What the heck is white? Would cauliflower count-but I am sure that is too nutritious?????

Adam and I expect our children to eat what I cook. There is no second chance, no other meal, you eat what is served. We recently let Easton pick one thing he didn't like and he chose corn. He says it gets in his teeth. That is logical. I will accept that he doesn't like corn because 1) he had a valid reason and 2) he eats me out of house and home in every other sort of fruit and veggie. Sutton is 7 months and went to a Parents Night Out program last night. The teachers went on and on about how he ate everything I packed. Of course he did! I am not a short order cook! You get what you get or you go hungry. Our Pediatrician is quick to back me up and tell me that your child won't let themselves go hungry.

Very Berry Crumble

The kids LOVE this first thing in the morning. I serve it hot or cold if I have some left over. They love it on top of yogurt or ice cream too!

topping:
3/4 cup sliced almonds (ok, I rarely have these so I usually use chopped pecans)
1/3 cup quick oats (this is a rough estimate)
A few squirts of honey
A sprinkle of cinnamon
A sprinkle of nutmeg
A tsp or so of Vanilla
2 tablespoons of butter
A sprinkle of flax meal

Filling:
2 bags of frozen fruit (still frozen or thawed) (I use peaches, blueberries, strawberries, or a combo-just whatever I have)
Squirt of honey
A sprinkle of cornstarch (a sprinkle of baby rice/oatmeal cereal works just as good-just in case you are out of cornstarch =)

Mix the topping ingredients all together with a fork. The kids love the topping so I double it. Mix frozen fruit in a pyrex (I use the square one-whatever size that is). Squirt a little honey on top and sprinke cornstarch or baby cereal on top. Mix together.
Spoon on the topping and spread pretty evenly.

Bake at 375 until hot and bubbly.

Granola

I absolutely love this stuff, and make it in big batches (which go very quickly around here). You may add or remove various ingredients as you like, until you come up with your own custom granola mix that your family likes! Here's what I do, measurements may not be exact, as it's a very organic process for me (picture me throwing in a bit more of this, or that, at whim- it's usually how I cook).

Granola:


First, I mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Ingredients, Mix together:


* 12 c. oats
* 3/4 c. wheat germ (I rarely have this, so I now leave it out and double-up on the ground flax seeds, aka. flaxseed meal)
* 1 c. flaxseed meal (I use 2 c., when not adding the wheat germ)
* 8-12 oz. (or 16?) of cocunut, depending upon how much you like it! I use alot! ;)
* 2 c. of slivered almonds (I usually add an extra shake of this too)
* 3/4 c. of sunflower seeds, if you like 'em or any other seeds/nuts you want to try
* 2 tsp. cinnamon
* .25 tsp. nutmeg
* 1.5 tsp. ginger
* Now I (sometimes, if I have it on hand, but it's certainly not necessary) sprinkle some Oat Bran flour over the mix, and mix in (probably about 1/2 c. or so, the more you add, the more bready-type hard *clumps* you'll have in your granola. I don't like too much, but some might like to add up to 2-4 c. of oat flour- in which case you'd need to add more honey and oil to make it stick together, just experiment).


Now I start adding in the liquids:


* 1 tsp. almond extract
* 2.5 tsp. vanilla extract (you may want to add more, just have to experiment)
* Oil: *note* Again, for this ingred., you can experiment and use what you like. I use 1/4-1/2 c. of flax seed oil and a stick of unsalted butter, sometimes I've used 1/2 c. of vegetable oil, light olive oil would work too, or grapeseed oil. There are no rules with granola, except to make it as healthful as possible. But basicly, you'll need about 3/4 c. of oil for this amount of granola.
* 1.5-2 c. of honey
* 1/4 c. of molasses (we don't use this)

Mix it all up real good and spread on parchment paper, or brown paper bag on the largest cookie sheet you have.


Bake @ 300 degrees for 20 mins. or so, until golden brown/toasted looking. I even accidentaly burnt a batch the other day, and it was still delicious.


After it comes out of the oven, and cools off, I like to add organic raisins, dried blueberries or cranberries. You could add any dried fruit that you like. I've tried baking it with the fruit in it beforehand, and prefer to wait now. I found that the fruit sorta burns faster than the rest of the mix. ;-) I also mix in chocolate chips sometimes if I want to add more sweetness.


Peanut Butter Granola

Makes 5 cups - can double

2 3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup natural wheat germ
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2T vegetable oil
1/3 c honey
1/3 c chunky all natural peanut butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 300. Stir together oats, wheat germ, and sunflower seed in a large mixing bowl. In a saucepan heat oil and honey, stiring occasionally. Remove from heat; add peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Spread over a cookie sheet. Bake 20 - 25 minutes, stirring every five minutes until granola browns evenly. Mix in raisins and nuts-I usually add extra nuts because the kids love them. STore in an airtight container. I use Krema peanut butter because it is salt free.

I got lost

I know, I know-I started this blog to keep up with my recipes and try to give my friends ideas on how to get their kids to eat veggies. Well, the Keeton's house has been busy. We have become Keeton, party of 7 with the addition of our neice Abby. This gives us 5 under 5! This has been quite the adjustment. For Christmas this year, I made some delicious pork bbq. Normally, we buy Pratt's but this year, some dear friends gave us a method for making bbq at home. It was so delicious that we will be making this all of the time. First, you need a pork butt roast (mine was called like a pork shoulder butt roast). The Hodge's said they usually get a Boston butt but Walmart didn't have anything by that name. Ours was 10 pounds and was enough for us to eat at least 3 meals. First, you sprinkle the meat on all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a BBQ rub-I used KC Masterpiece but I am sure any would be good. Then, you rub the meat for a few minutes. Place the meat in a roaster oven or in a regular oven covered on 250 for at least 12 hours. I also put 2 ramikens of water in my roaster to create a little steam. You cook until the meat reaches an internal temp of 160. Then, you let it rest and cool. I let it rest for an hour or so. Now-get to work. I have always wondered why BBQ is so expensive to eat out and let me tell you, after I pulled the meat and chopped it, I will never again question it. It is hard work. We topped ours with Pratt's BBQ sauce because we like it but I am sure any sauce would be yummy. Next time, we are going to save half of the meat and eat it as plain pork and eat the other half as BBQ. It was delicious! Even my super duper picky father in law commented on how much he liked it!!!