Kid Friendly Recipe of the Week

Thursday is kids day around here, Daddy is off work and we all hang out together and get things done. That is why I picked Thursday as Kid Friendly recipe day.

Dogs in a Cheese Blanket

Easy and fun, the kids can help make these.

Ingredients:

8 of your favorite brand of hot dogs
8 slices american cheese
1 tube of refrigerated crescent rolls

Instructions:

Wrap cheese around hot dog. Wrap crescent dough around hot dog and cheese. Place on non stick or lightly sprayed with cooking spray cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes until golden brown (refer to crescent roll package to get a rough idea on cooking time)

Of course my boys are little so they always ask for this recipe, but end up only really eating the crescent roll. Oh well, we try!

Its time to start planning

Thanksgiving - Planning the family get-together

Holidays are a great way to bring your family together. Memories will be made for your children. Start planning your family get together now with these tips.

1. Plan your meal – Don’t wait until the week before Thanksgiving to decide what your Thanksgiving dinner will include. Start planning today.

What kind of meats will you prepare? Will everyone eat the same meat, or should you cook a couple of different kinds of meat? What sides and desserts will you fix? Planning a family dinner can be taxing if you’re not careful. Be sure to plan for everyone so that nobody will go without something they love to eat.

2. Share the cooking – Don’t try to cook the entire dinner by yourself. Ask different family members to bring something with them. Good cooks love to share their food and recipes. They’ll love cooking and bringing their favorite dishes for the family meal.

3. Decide on a time – Don’t send an open invitation with no starting time, unless you are prepared to have guests arrive at all hours of the day. When planning your Thanksgiving meal, be sure to include what time guests should begin arriving. Family will most likely want to come early and stay late to catch up on all the latest, so make sure you stress the right time on the invitations.

4. Make it special – Every family get-together is special in its own way. Make this Thanksgiving extra special by doing something different. Perhaps you might take turns going around the dinner table and sharing what each family member is thankful for. Or maybe you could invite your pastor and his family for dinner and have him pray a special prayer for your family. Doing something different this Thanksgiving dinner is a sure way to create warm, lasting memories that your entire family will never forget.

The Great Pumpkin: Fact or Fiction?

A Little Halloween Fun

We have heard of the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus, but what about the Great Pumpkin? The only one rumored to have seen him has no corroborating witness to validate the claim. Does he really exist?

This issue needs to be resolved once and for all. It started with Charles Schultz and a little boy named Linus, but it has taken on a life of its own. Now, all kids want to know the origins of the Great Pumpkin.

According to Linus, the Great Pumpkin visits all of the pumpkin patches around the world. He appears to the one who has the best pumpkin patch in his opinion. The kids waiting for him will receive candy and treats for their efforts.

First of all, kids don’t grow pumpkins. They may have started off by planting the seeds, but most of the day to day work is done by the adults. So, why do the kids get all the fun?

The Great Pumpkin was thought up by Peanuts creator Charles Schultz. One of his most memorable characters, Linus Van Pelt, tries to convince all of his friends that they should wait in a creepy old pumpkin patch instead of going door to door for their treats.

Of course, they ignore him except for Charlie Brown’s sister, Sally. She is so love-struck that she can’t see the pumpkin poo for the starts in her eyes. But, even she has her limits. Year after year, she is left with no candy and itchy arms from spending the night in the pumpkin patch. I wonder if her parents knew where she was.

Many parents have endeavored to solve their kid’s curiosity with a little Great Pumpkin action of their own. Instead of waking up to the horror that their kids have snuck off to sit in a pumpkin patch all night, they have used the Great Pumpkin idea to start their own holiday traditions.

Kids who donate part of their candy haul for a good cause will get a visit from the Great Pumpkin. He will take the donated candy and leave a toy or some cash in its place. Hey, no one can eat all that candy and they get good stuff out of the deal.

There are other ways for the Great Pumpkin to manifest himself during the fall months. Maybe the Great Pumpkin actually takes over for the Tooth Fairy so she can go on vacation for a few months. Who knows? I guess we’ll all find out this fall if Linus was right.

Friday Herb Fun Day: Fennel

Fennel: The Health Benefits May Surprise You

If you have ever used fennel in your meal preparations, you immediately notice the licorice aroma. This is because fennel is a key component in licorice. This herb, though not widely used, is nonetheless quite popular among culinary experts. Most notably used in Italian cuisine, fennel has many health benefits which will be discussed herein.

Fennel is a yellow-flowered herb originating in the Mediterranean, but now commonly used in Europe and Asia. You’ve no doubt heard of fennel seeds? Well the seeds, leaves, and roots of the fennel have been used as medicinal agents as far back as ancient China. Used for congestion, conjunctivitis, stimulating appetite (which is why most Italians serve fennel as an appetizer), and increases the flow of breast milk. It has also been used to treat colic in infants. Fennel also serves as prevention against muscle spasms and helps to relieve gas and an upset stomach. Fennel is an antispasmodic, diuretic, expectorant and stimulant.

Fennel seed is used for treatment of digestive problems such as bloating, flatulence and mild spasms of the gastrointestinal tract. Fennel syrup is used for the upper respiratory tract. Externally, the oil eases muscular and rheumatic pains. Fennel and its juice contain some valuable properties. The nutrients are similar to those in celery, which belong to the same family, but it is the essential oil that promotes relief for an upset stomach. It is also used for cancer patients after radiation and chemotherapy treatments to help rebuild the digestive system. Fennel seed ground and made into tea is believed to be good for snake bites, insect bites or food poisoning. It increases the flow of urine. It is gargled for hoarseness and sore throats.

Combined with carrot juice, fennel is very good for eye conditions such as night blindness or a weakening of the optic nerve. In addition, if you add beet juice to carrot and fennel, the efficacy of all three creates a remedy for anemia and excessive menstruation. Fennel is also used in drugs to treat chills. In fact, if you boil the fennel leaves and inhale the steam, it can relieve asthma and bronchitis conditions.

As you can see, the fennel herb has a variety of medicinal properties and can be eaten cooked or raw. If you wish to use fennel and partake in its obvious benefits, you can make a juice of fennel and carrots, or combine these with beet juice as well. You can use a blender or a juicer. Either way, you will be promoting good health in using fennel as part of your dietary regimen, since a preponderance of evidence suggests it promotes weight loss as well. While fennel has long been associated with Italian cuisine, it has now become one herb growing in popularity across many cultures.

Kid Friendly Recipe of the Week

Wow it's Thursday again - Let's see what we have for you this week. This is a real easy one for the kids.

Turkey Lunch Kabob - Because food on a stick tastes better!

Ingredients:

cheddar cheese, cubed
ham, chicken or turkey breast cubed
green pepper
cherry tomatoes
kabob skewers - *NOTE: for very small children you may want to cut off the sharp point of the kabob or use plastic skewers

Instructions:

Cut cheese and meats into cubes. Cut pepper into chunks.Thread onto skewers alternating cheese, meat, veggies. This makes a great sandwich replacement and makes veggies like peppers and tomatoes more fun for little fingers to try.

More Pumpkin Recipes

It's Wednesday and almost time for Halloween so here are some more pumpkin recipes to share.

Moist Pumpkin Tube Cake

What You Need:

2 1/2 C cake flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ginger, ground

1/2 tsp. nutmeg, ground

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground

1/2 tsp. cardamom, ground

1 C unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C brown sugar, packed

4 eggs, room temperature

1 C pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

How to Make It:

Sift together in a large mixing bowl the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom.

Place the butter into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy.

Pour the brown sugar 1/2 C at a time being sure to beat well each time.

Pour in the vanilla extract and continue beating for 2 minutes.

Separate the eggs into two separate bowls setting the whites off to the side.

Beat the egg yolks slightly then add them to the butter mixture and mix to combine.

Place the pumpkin puree into the butter mixture and continue beating until smooth.

Beat in the flour mixture 1/3 at a time and only mixing until moist.

Place the cream of tartar into the bowl with the egg whites.

Beat on low speed until soft peaks begin to form when beaters are lifted out.

Fold into the batter.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 10 in tube pan with a non stick cooking spray.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake 40 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched with a finger.

Cool well before cutting into slices.

16 Servings

The pumpkin puree and egg white mixture make this cake moist and a delight to eat. The spices give it just the right kick and make this cake a hit with everyone who tries it.

Edible Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns

What You Need:

4 3/4 C all-purpose flour

2 TBSP baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ginger, ground

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 C sugar

2 lg. eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 C pumpkin puree

How to Make It:

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.

Sprinkle in the cinnamon and ginger and toss to combine well.

In a separate bowl beat together with an electric mixer the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.

Place one egg into the bowl and mix until combined.

Add the second egg and the vanilla and continue to mix on medium speed until all the ingredients are incorporated together.

Place the pumpkin puree into the mixture and continue to beat just until the pumpkin is mixed in.

Turn the mixer on low and beat the mixture for 45 seconds increasing the speed from low to medium as you mix.

Place the cookie dough on a clean flat surface

Roll the dough into 2 in. logs and wrap each log in plastic wrap.

Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 1 1/2hours.

Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees and allow heating up.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cut the logs into 1 in. slices and place the slices on the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 13 minutes or until the cookies just begin to crack.

Makes 4 doz. cookies

These can be decorated to look just like a jack o lantern with a little white icing colored with a few drops of food coloring. Use gel icing to make the eyes and mouth. Replace the pumpkin puree with molasses for a different treat.

Enjoy your Halloween.

Halloween Gift for You

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