"The Five Love Languages of Children" by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell
"Keeping Faith" by John Schaeffer and Frank Schaeffer
"Flags of our Fathers" by James Bradley
"Loving God With All Your Mind" by Elizabeth George
On... Nov. 25, 2009
my friend... HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog
wrote about...Homeschooling Through High School ~ Turkey Leftovers Plus a Brand New Meme to Join!
in... Homeschooling Through High School
Thanksgiving Greetings and Blessings from Chicagoland!
I want to take this opportunity to share with my Homeschooling Through High School readers a new meme which you (and parents of all our awesome homeschooling teenagers) can join! Hop on over to my HSB blog, "Plans4You" to learn all about...
Next, I have a simple recipe to share which your high schoolers can make with all your leftover Thanksgiving turkey! Be sure to log the time they spend making this on their Home Ec time card so you can apply it to a Home Economics credit!
(If you're not sure what a "Home Ec time card" is, please read my posts from August 19, 2009, "Keeping Track of Credits," and August 26, 2009, "Clever Credits." You can find them HERE.)
LEFTOVER TURKEY MASTER BLEND
This "Master Blend" can be used to make a number of dishes,
or you can serve it "as is" over rice, toast, or in a pastry shell.
The recipe calls for 4 cups of shredded turkey...if you don't have that much, you can either add some shredded chicken to make up the difference, or cut the Master Blend recipe in half, and be sure to cut any recipes and baking dish sizes you use the Master Blend in by half, as well.
4 cups shredded turkey
4 Tbl. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock (may use canned chicken broth, but not bouillon)
1-1/2 cups whole milk, half-and-half, or light cream
Lemon juice, salt & pepper, nutmeg to taste
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add flour, and whisk until smooth. Cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly.
Add chicken stock and whisk until smooth.
Whisk in milk, half-and-half, or light cream. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture just to a simmer, whisking constantly.
Remove pan from heat; scrape the inside of the saucepan with a wooden spoon or heat-proof rubber spatula, and whisk vigorously to break up any lumps.
Return the pan to the heat and, whisking, bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the shredded turkey (4 cups worth), and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
Season to taste with a few drops of lemon juice, salt and pepper, and a couple pinches of ground nutmeg.
That is your "Master Blend." You can use this immediately in one of the following recipes, or you can save it for use another time. Here are four recipes to choose from:
Turkey Pot Pie
Prepared dough for pastry crust (use your favorite recipe...you can use biscuit dough, too...even the pre-made doughs you buy in a tube at the grocery store, like crescent rolls or "Grands" type doughs will work here! You'll be covering a 13X9 pie.)
2 Tbl. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 small celery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 Tbs. fresh parsley, minced
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13X9-inch baking pan.
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foam starts to subside. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring often, until barely tender--about 5 minutes.
Stir the cooked vegetables into the Turkey Master Blend along with the thawed peas and the parsley.
Pour the turkey/vegetable mixture into the prepared pan. Now you'll cover the mixture with your dough:
Biscuit dough: arrange biscuits on top of turkey, overlapping the biscuits if necessary.
Drop biscuit dough: drop small biscuits on top to cover.
Pie dough: roll dough out into the shape of your pan, place on top of turkey, and tuck the edges in against the pan sides.
Brush the top of the dough with about 2 Tbs. (1/2 an egg) of beaten egg for a goldeny-brown glaze.
Bake 25 to 35 minutes until the turkey mix is bubbly and the topping is nicely browned.
TURKEY TETRAZZINI
1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (about 2-1/3 cups)
8 ounces spaghetti, macaroni, or egg noodles
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted lightly
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13X9-inch baking pan.
Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until the foam begins to subside.
Add sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender...about 5 minutes.
Stir the mushrooms into the Turkey Master Blend.
Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water until tender. Drain well. Stir pasta into turkey mixture along with almonds.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 25 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.
TURKEY CHILI PEPPER CASSEROLE
One or two 4-1/2 ounce cans of chopped mild or hot green chili peppers, drained (the amount you choose is determined by how hot you want this!)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
4 ounces tortilla chips, lightly crushed (don't pulverize these...should have 2 to 3 cups after crushing.)
8 ounces grated Cheddar cheese (2 cups, lightly packed)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13X9 baking pan.
To the Turkey Master Blend, add chili peppers (be sure to drain them first!) and cumin. Mix well.
In the prepared pan, layer the turkey mixture alternately with layers of tortilla chips and cheese. End with a layer of tortilla chips sprinkled with cheese.
Bake 25 to 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.
TURKEY AND RICE CASSEROLE
1-1/2 Tbl. unsalted butter
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 2-1/3 cups)
3 cups cooked white rice or wild rice blend
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
1/3 cup dry, unseasoned breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. melted butter
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13X9-inch baking pan.
Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the foam begins to subside. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until tender--about 5 minutes.
Stir the mushrooms into the Turkey Master Blend along with the cooked rice and toasted nuts. Pour the mixture into baking pan.
In a bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter. Sprinkle over top of casserole.
Bake 25 to 35 minutes until sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving, enjoy your leftover turkey (or make every single one of these with chicken and enjoy that!), and enjoy your teenagers! Be sure to visit me at Plans4You to check out the new meme. May God bless you and your homeschool this week!
On... Nov. 24, 2009
my friend... Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
wrote about...NEA Puts Power Ahead of Kids
It's really no surprise to anyone ever that the NEA was more interested in protecting its power than educating children. What is surprising is that they actually feel confident enough in their power to admit it. Here's the NEA's General Counseladmitting as much in his retirement speech this past summer.
"Despite what some among us would like to believe it is not because of our creative ideas. It is not because of the merit of our positions. It is not because we care about children and it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child. NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power....
This is not to say that the concern of NEA and its affiliates with closing achievement gaps, reducing dropout rates, improving teacher quality and the like are unimportant or inappropriate. To the contrary. These are the goals that guide the work we do. But they need not and must not be achieved at the expense of due process, employee rights and collective bargaining. That simply is too high a price to pay.
If you're a parent with children in the public schools you can voice your objections here. But the best way to object is by removing your children from their schools. Without your children they have no real power.
In a related story, future teachers in Minnesota are being "reducated" and become "culturally competent"
Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin in order to obtain a teacher certificate.
On... Nov. 24, 2009
my friend... HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog
wrote about...Kitchen Moments ~ Thanksgiving Favorites
in... Kitchen Moments
I've been sharing my family's favorite Thanksgiving recipes on the HomesteadBlogger Front Porch . Stop by to see how our Texas family celebrates Thanksgiving. I've invited the other bloggers to share their family favorites as well, so you are certain to find many delicious recipes posted throughout the community.
Here's a link to a great sounding Mandarin & Cranberry Relish at Nourished Kitchen, a blog I visit often for healthy, delicious recipes.
I pray your family has a wonderful Thanksgiving. We truly have much to be thankful for. And now, I must get back to my own Thanksgiving preparations ... some last minute shopping, a little baking, a bit of holiday decorating, and lots of family fun!
Blessings,
Catherine
Catherine Love lives in the heart of Texas with her husband Carl, and their 3 daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana. They enjoy cooking, gardening, and learning new things as they pursue a lifestyle of learning together as a family. You can read Catherine's Kitchen Adventures and more on her blog- Seeds of Love.
On... Nov. 23, 2009
my friend... callmekate
wrote about...One State A Day
I've said this before - my oldest son, Chad, is a sponge for learning. He has always been a great reader and made it easy for me when it came to teaching geography, world/American history and just about anything else you can learn by reading. If you need to know where some place is in the world, ask Chad. If you have a history question, he probably knows the answer. Some kid, he is.
However, my younger two kids are not as eager to read and absorb these subjects. So I decided we would study one state a day, beginning with the New England states. I had a good black line map that Carmen traced onto a large sheet of paper, outlining every state, and it hangs on the wall above our kitchen table. Every day, she colors in the state-of-the-day, and labels the name and capital city. I also had a Dover U.S. coloring book that she is coloring each day as well. She loves to draw and color so this is fun for her (which makes learning easier). We use our Worldbook Encyclopedias, our road atlas and whatever other resources I have, like Country magazine. The dictionary sometimes gives the source of the state name, which we find interesting. Alec just sits and listens but he likes to read what the encyclopedia says about each state's exports, manufacturing, etc. At dinner, I ask them questions to help them remember some of what we learned.
This isn't in-depth study but it's fun to learn some of the state's history, economy, population, year of statehood, state flag, weather, geography, bird, tree, etc. Almost every day, one of them (or I) say, "I didn't know that!. And every day, I try to find more resources to add to our study. I'm saving our state for last and we'll spend more than just one day on it. It's what you call "homeschooling on a shoe string". No expensive program needed.
On... Nov. 23, 2009
my friend... ElCloud
wrote about...We R Fun: Life On The Farm Board Game
in... Homeschool Crew Reviews
My kids love board games! They especially love board games involving money, although they have been known to start making up their own rules after awhile, and playing the game ElCloud style. I enjoy board games, because I know they are engaging my children's minds and teaching them things like strategy and math.
We were very happy to have a chance to review the Life On The Farm board game by We R Fun, Inc. It had been on our children's wish list for several months. This is a high-quality, well-designed board game with a colorful playing board. We received the original version, for players age 8 and up, but there is also a preschool version available which doesn't require any reading.
Life On The Farm was designed by Keith Gohl and his sister Ev Johnson, to help others understand what life on a farm is really like ... from a family business perspective. Each player rolls a dice, moves forward that number of spaces, and then follows the directions on the board. Players draw income cards and expense cards which require them to pay vet bills, taxes, or collect sale income. It's a game of chance, as my 12 year old daughter discovered last night. She was poised to win, until she had to pay taxes four times, when no one else paid taxes at all that game.
The goal of the game is to be the first to retire with 60 cows and the money you began farming with. As We R Fun states on their how to play page: "Life on the Farm is not about running other players out of business - it’s about managing money and making the most out of what happens to you - what life is really about on a family farm! It is a classic board game, fast-moving, easy to understand and fun to play, and it truly appeals to all ages."
While I agree that this game appeals to all ages, and the family can enjoy playing it together ... we didn't find it very fast-moving. Well, I suppose the plays happen quickly, but the process of playing the game itself can be long. The instructions do include a shorter version, and that is the only way we have played it so far. It's just the nature of this type of board game to take awhile.
My kids have enjoyed playing the game twice since we received it. They wanted to play it many more times, but we didn't always have enough time to fit a game in. In our opinion, Life On The Farm is a great board game, with educational entertainment value for the entire family. It's an excellent way to spend quality family time on a winter evening.
The original version of Life On The Farm (ages 8 - 108) retails for $25.00, and the preschool version retails for $20.00. The game can be bought from We R Fun, Inc, The Old Schoolhouse Store, Amazon.com, and also on Kmart.com.
This would make an excellent educational (and FUN!) Christmas gift for any children age 7 and up, or a family gift for those you love!
This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion. Click the TOS Homeschool Crew banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.
On... Nov. 23, 2009
my friend... ElCloud
wrote about...Easy Holiday Cran-Apple Fruit Salad
in... ElCloud Kitchen
On Saturday we attended a potluck dinner for our 4-H Achievement Banquet . Unfortunately, I was lacking inspiration on what to prepare. Just after lunch, I finally started flipping through cookbooks looking for ideas.
I settled on a cheesy scalloped potato recipe, but had to take shortcuts by microwaving the potatoes for awhile before putting them into the crockpot. (If you're curious it was Potluck Potatoes from the Fix-It And Forget-It Cookbook.)
But, I still needed a second dish. I started flipping through the desserts and salads in the cookbook my church put together. I found a Cranberry Jello salad that sounded good, but I didn't have fresh cranberries to boil into syrup, and didn't have time to mess with letting a jello set-up. BUT I decided to take some of the ingredients and improvise my own fruit salad. It was easy and delicious! (If you like the tartness of cranberries, that is.)
ElCloud's Easy Holiday Cran-Apple Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
2 (16 oz.) cans of whole-berry cranberry sauce
3-4 apples, cored and diced
1 cup mini-marshmallows
Directions:
1. Open both cans of whole-berry cranberry sauce and pour into a 2 qt. bowl
2. Use a spoon to break up the cranberry sauce.
3. Cut apples into wedges, removing the core. Skin can be left on, or peeled off.
4. Cut apple wedges into small pie shaped slivers.
5. Stir apples and mini-marshmallows into the cranberry sauce.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
That's it! It looks beautiful, and it's delicious!!
On... Nov. 23, 2009
my friend... HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog
wrote about...Happy Thanksgiving to You!
in... Whats Bloggin
Happy Thanksgiving!
Last week the Porch Team had some great posts for you on the subject of Thanksgiving. If you haven't read any of those yet, look in the archives and check them out! A few of them may have more to offer for this week.
Since November 1st I've seen a lot of posts about being thankful. Several bloggers have taken up a be thankful challenge where they have to list each day, the things they are thankful for. Here is a short list of my thankful fors:
The bloggers here at HSB (Yes, you! I love the bloggers here at HSB, you have encouraged me, made me laugh, and taught me so many new things!)
Of course I'm thankful for much more but the list would go on for miles if I kept at it.
I pray that each of you will have safe travels this Thanksgiving weekend, that you will be a witness to all you spend time with, and that your hearts are full of the blessings that the Lord has given to you.
I can't wait to read your posts about how you spent the Thanksgiving weekend!
On... Nov. 23, 2009
my friend... jaminacema
wrote about...Pumpkin Dump Cake
One of my friends made this for our Pumpkin Party earlier in the month. It was SO yummy I had to get her recipe. I am hoping to make this today to share with my mom who arrived yesterday to spend Thanksgiving week with us. :^)
Pumpkin Dump Cake
1 can pumpkin (29 oz.)
1 C sugar
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz.)
3 eggs
1 box yellow cake mix
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C melted butter
1 C chopped pecans
Combine pumpkin, sugar, evap. milk, eggs, spices, and salt in mixing bowl. Beat well. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 glass pan. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over mixture. Sprinkle the pecans over the cake mix. Pour melted butter over all. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. Watch closely, burns easily. (Knife inserted in the middle of cake should come out clean when done.)
If you are looking for a new yummy Thanksgiving recipe you might want to give this one a try!
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