Birthday #1 Prep

For my daughter's 8th birthday she is having a Candyland party. While a younger child game we are adapting. She couldn't decide what she wanted to do for her party so I told her to look at the cut-up cake designs I have and see if she finds and idea she likes. She liked the flower cart, but we did a theme similar to flowers last year, so we changed it to a candy cart. I am trying to come up with ideas for activities and the like based on the characters from candyland. So far we have gingersnaps (molassas swamp), ice cream (Queen Frostine), candy cart for King Kandy (if real adventurous I will make the cart look like a candy cart castle -- we'll see) making a candyland girl out of foamy and suckers (Princess Lolly), Pin the doornut (doorknob) on Grandma Nut's home, I am probably going to do a photo treasure hunt or obstacle course to get something back from Lord Licorice, I am still thinking on what to do for Mr. Mint and for Plumpy and the gingerbread tree with plum forest. For Jolly the Gumdrop guy I am making Tic-Tac-Toe bags with small pebbles in them.

I started with a 9-patch square, added 1/4" borders on top & sides. Then added the back and front border to bottom. Then I added a lining and sewed them together.

Then I sewed a thin line of velcro to top of each side of the lining. then serged them together to make a bag to hold the pieces.

Now they can play with their "gumdrops".

Headbands

I have been making headbands lately.  My daughters are growing their bangs out and we need something to keep them back and barretts are not doing the job.   We had a rubber headband we had bought at the store has been doing a great job, so we used it for a template.

Here are some the the headbands we have made.  If you want to see how I made them you can go here, on the photo with the pattern, if you view full size you can just copy the pattern off the computer screen.  Thanks Meg for the hint!

This is the one I made on the link.

I think this one is my favorite

I used a little more decrative stitch on this one.  I really like it.

This one matches a dress I made for my oldest when she was 4 that fits my younger daughter now that is 2 1/2.

Pizza Pockets

For dinner tonight I was looking for something yummy, quick, and that used ingredients on hand -- especially my herb garden.

My basil is going crazy. The Rosemary is on the bottom left, behind it is Thyme, and behind the Basin on the right is Sage -- YUMMMMMM!

So I started looking and came across two recipes by Rachel Ray for taco pockets and Pizza Quesedillas. So I combined the two with a few additions of my own. Plus, as an added bonus it is something that can be both gluten-free and not.

First I browned about 3/4-lbs of hamburger with about 1/4 tsp garlic powder (out of regular garlic tonight), and about 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin, salt and pepper all in olive oil. Doesn't it look yummy already.

Next I added two cans (14.5 oz) of drained, petite diced tomatoes and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. While I broke up about 3/4 C of fresh basil.

Next I assembled the gluten-free version. It was more of a quesedilla. The recipe called for smoked mozzarella which I didn't have so I used Provolone. I put some olive oil in the pan and then I moved both the top and bottom tortillas around the pan on both sides to get them oiled. Then I put the bottom tortilla down in the pan and placed the cheese down and then added the tomato mixture and then topped it with basil.

Then I added a little more slices of cheese to the top to get the top of the quesadilla to "stick".

I then topped it with another tortilla, flipping it over when the cheese was melted on the bottom. I made two of these. When they were done cooking I put them on a plate in the oven on low so they wouldn't get cold while I made the non-gluten-free versions.

Like before I layered the cheese, tomatoes and basil on the tortilla, but this time I used a 12-inch flour tortilla.


I then folded it up so it made and envelope.

I then added a little more olive oil to the pan and cooked it with the folds on the bottom first to keep it closed and then flipped it. Doesn't it look pretty.

My kids loved it -- almost as much as the fresh corn-on-the-cob from the garden. YUM!

BBQ Chicken & Scalloped Potatoes

Last night I made a wonderfully delicious dinner -- so proud of me. Not the usual Tacos. I did BBQ ribs in my Crock-Pot.and then Gluten-free, dairy-free scalloped potatoes. Basically, I used 2 good recipes for Scalloped Potato and sort of combined them and then substituted Chicken broth and Cornstarch for the Milk & flour, I even got to use my fresh thyme from my herb garden. Here is the recipe:


Scalloped Potatoes (printer friendly)

2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped fine
1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4- 1/2 tsp pepper
2 1/2 C chicken broth, divided.
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes (5 med), sliced 1/8" thick

1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400-degrees. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 2 C chicken broth and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and remaining 1/2 C chicken broth and slowly pour into sauce while stirring. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.
2. Place 1/2 of the sliced potatoes in a casserole pan and pour 1/2 the sauce over the top. Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce.
3. Bake in oven for 1 hour. Enjoy!

72-hour kits

So last night I actually put together 72-hour kits for my family. I put them together about 4 years ago but never updated. So one more child and much growing later, we are re-doing them and every LDS General Conference (in April & October) that will be our meals for the weekend so we don't throw out a huge garbage bag of food like we did last night.

So for Family Night we re-did them. I got all the food and we packaged it up assembly style. I had organized the food I had into a bag for each of the 3 meals for each for the 3 days. I then wrote their names on Gallon Ziploc Storage bags with a bag for each meal (B-1=breakfast first day, L-3=Lunch 2nd day, D-3= Dinner third day, etc.). I can't claim credit for the idea I got it from the "Stanford University Amatur Radio Emergency Service" which has taken down their site. You can find more info on 72-hour kits at the Red Cross, Homeland Security, FEMA, or a ton of other sites by googling "72-hour kits".

This is the second day lunch bag

For those who don't eat Gluten-free we used the following menu

Breakfast 1: Applesauce, Instant Oatmeal, Sm. Bottled Water, Juice Box
Lunch 1: Chef-Boy-R Dee Mac N Cheese, Granola Bar, Fruit Pkg, Capri Sun
Dinner 1: Canned Chili, Canned Veg, CapriSun

Breakfast 2: Applesauce, Instant Oatmeal, Sm. Bottled Water, Juice Box
Lunch 2: Granola Bar, Trail Mix, Fruit Pkg, Capri Sun
Dinner 2: Chef-Boy-R-Dee Mini Ravioli (sm micro & reg can size), Pudding, Fruit Pkg, CapriSun

Breakfast 3: Applesauce, Instant Oatmeal, Sm. Bottled Water, Juice Box
Lunch 3: Cheese N Crackers, Granola Bar, Beef Jerky (lg pkg in husband's bag), Capri Sun
Dinner 3: Soup (adults) & Chef-Boy-R-Dee Micro (kids), Pkg Fruit, CapriSun

Snacks: 2 Peanut butter & Crackers, 1 Granola Bar, 1 Oreo, 1 NutterButter, 1 Chips A-Hoy, 1 Raisins

Here is it all put together.

For my daughter, Karissa, who has Celiac Disease (basically an autoimmune disease that destroys the lining of the small intestine when a person consumes gluten -- wheat, rye, barley, and some oats-- causing them to become malnurished) has to have a gluten-free 72-hour kit. In addition to that she is allergic to dairy and peanuts. To save myself some hassle I bought one from my local (1-1/2 hours away) Gluten-Free store, Against the Grain -- love them!! They got the food and then I just had to organize it. I think that next time I will create my own, but I have their ideas now. This is what they put together:

Breakfast 1: Granola Bar, Vienna Sausages, Silk SoyMilk
Lunch 1: Starkist Chunk Tuna Pkg, Mayonnaise Pkg., Salt & Pepper, Ener-G Wheat-free Crackers (1 box to split for each lunch), Fruit Pkg., Cider Mix

Dinner 1: Chef Boy-R-Dee Rice w/Chicken & Veg, Canned Veg, Jello, Capri Sun

Breakfast 2: Granola bar, Vienna Sausages, Silk SoyMilk
Lunch 2: Crackers, Chix of Sea Pink Salmon Pkg., Mayonnaise Pkg., Salt & Pepper, Jello Pkg, Cider Mix
Dinner 2: Dinty Moore Beef Stew, Canned Veg, Kelloggs Fruit Snacks, Capri Sun

Breakfast 3: Granola Bar, Vienna Sausages, Silk SoyMilk
Lunch 3: Pkg Fish, Mayonnaise Pkg., Salt & Pepper, Crackers, Cider Mix
Dinner 3: Hormel Beans & Weiners, Canned Veg, Kelloggs Fruit Snacks, Capri Sun

Snacks:Dried Apricots, Ener-G Chocolate Chip Cookies, Ener-G Pretzels, Jam

UPDATE: I have since redone these and I made my own version that is more like the ones I made the rest of the family so we are eating similar things each meal plus my daughter is no longer dairy free so we have more choices.  You can see a printable list here.

Here is the Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Peanut-free 72-hour kit food.

Then we just put them in our backpacks. Brandon and I both have hiking backpacks and are going to keep ours in them When I find a good space that will hold it, I am going to add the sleeping bags to the stack.

Here they are all ready to go -- hopefully never to be used.

Made bread

So I actually made bread yesterday. My daughter was thrilled. She had two slices for her "after-school snack" and then had toast for breakfast. It was a good mom day! Here is the recipe -- I modified the "Sandwich Bread" recipe in Carol Fensters "Wheat-free Recipes & Menus".

SANDWICH BREAD (link here for a better version)

makes 1 1-lb loaf or an 8x4" pan
(I usually double this recipe so it makes 2 loaves not just 1 and it works just fine.)

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp Sugar, divided (2 tsp & 1 Tbsp+1tsp)
1 C. Warm Water (you may need to add up to 2 Tbsp. more if you use the whole grain flour mix)
2 1/4 C. Flour Blend
2 Tbsp Almond Meal
1/3 C. Dry milk powder (dairy or non-dairy)
1/2 Tbsp Flax Seed Meal
2 tsp Zanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Soy lecithin granules
1 tsp egg replacer powder
2 Large whole eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cider vinegar

1.Grease 8x4-inch loaf pan. Dissolve yeast and 2 tsp of the sugar in warm water (110-degree F) in a small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.

2. In a large mixer bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the remaining ingredients (including remaining sugar). With an electric mixer on low speed, using regular beaters, not dough hooks, slowly beat ingredients until just blended. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 minutes. Add more water if necessary

3. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Let rise in a warm place until the middle of the dough is slightly higher than the top of the pan.

4. Preheat the oven to 375-degree F. Bake for 45-50 minutes (we life in the mountains and it is usually closer to 40 minutes so keep an eye on it), until the loaf makes a clicking sound when tapped with your fingernail. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the
pan and finish cooling on wire rack.

5. This is how I take care of the bread. Before it is completely cool -- slightly warm. I slice it then place the sliced loaf in a "food and bread" bag you buy near the tin foil and place it in the freezer. I always put my regular bread in the freezer slightly warm to retain moisture and I have found it to be true with GF bread as well.

Here is an up close of the slice. Doesn't it look yummy!

TIME SAVER: When I mix up the flour I also create bread "mixes" I place all the dry ingredients (excluding the 2 tsp. sugar for the yeast) in a zip-loc bag and place them in the freezer. I usually make 5-10 of these depending on my time and mood. Then when I need to make bread I go and get the bag out of the freezer let it come to room temperature and add the wet ingredients. It saves a lot of time when I need to make bread.

Whole Grain Flour Mix

I have been trying to create a healthier flour mix that isn't "beany". And this is the one I have come up with and, thus far, my daughter has loved everything I have made with it. Basically I modified the rice flour mixture.
Just a note: the amaranth and buckwheat can be pricier than some of the traditional flours.

1 1/2 C. amaranth
3 C. rice flour (brown or white)
2 C. potato starch
1 C. buckwheat
1/2 C. sorghum
1 C. tapioca starch

You can use it 1:1 for regular flour. Like regular whole-grain flours you might want to add a little extra liquid to your recipe. I live in the desert so I usually have to add about 2 Tbsp to most recipes.