Nature Cottages

You guys always seemed to enjoy our nature corner. This is an idea from Waldorf education that took root in our home. I have really enjoyed it. I don't know if you guys love it like I do, or if you humor me. :) But, either way, we have had a good time with it. Now that you are 13 and 9 years old, we have taken our corner to an all new level. These houses you guys made are amazing. In case you forget what this was all about, I purchased those little cardboard houses for $2.99 a piece at the Hobby Lobby. You guys went out and collected nature items from the yard and then created little cottages using mod podge and the low temp. glue gun. I so enjoyed watching your creativity shine on this project. You both stayed focused for a long time and seemed to really love this project.I think this could be difficult for younger children, but for you guys in all of your school age child bliss, it was perfect.

Quick Taco Soup (AKA Taco Chili)

Here is a quick recipe that uses canned ingredients, so you can stock these to keep on hand for taco soup emergencies.

2 lbs. ground beef
An onion or two chopped
1 packet of GF taco seasoning

2 cans of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
2 large cans of diced or chopped tomatoes
2 cans of corn
*DO NOT DRAIN THE CANNED FOODS

Brown the meat and onion in a stock pot. Add the taco seasoning.
Add to pot all of your canned beans and veggies (make sure you don't drain them).
Simmer and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with tortilla chips on the side and topped with a dollop of sour cream.
You could also drain leftovers, pour in a casserole dish and pour cornbread batter on top - bake and have a tamale pie.
Versatile, easy, and perfect to keep on hand for emergencies.

The Easiest GF Cookie in the World: Sunflower Butter Cookies

Preheat oven to 350*, spray cookie sheet with oil

1 cup of sunflower butter or soynut butter (or peanut butter, Addie:)
1 cup of white sugar
1 egg

Combing all three ingredients.

Roll into balls and press fork gently on top in criss cross pattern.

Bake for 6-8 minutes.

These are quite good and nothing is so easy. I imagine you both needing to pull these out for late night study sessions, a quick fix for when you need to take your own dessert, and anytime you need a peanut butter type cookie, but without flour of any kind or the allergic reaction to nuts.
They are hard to refuse, as you well know. Enjoy!

Brown Rice Flour Muffins

Preheat oven to 350*

2 cups brown rice flour
2 t. baking powder
4 T. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 T. oil
1 cup milk
chocolate chips or fruit can be added if desired

Grease/oil muffin tins or use paper cup liners.

Beat egg, add milk and oil.
Mix well.
Add remaining ingredients and mix 1 minute.

Bake 25-28 minutes.

Taste better when shared!

Basic GF Muffin Recipe

2 cups GF all-purpose flour
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3/4 cup of white sugar
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup of canola oil (or olive)

Preheat oven to 400*

Stir GF flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Make a "well" in the center.
In a small bowl, beat the egg. With a fork, stir the milk and oil into the egg.
Pour this mixture all at once into the well.
Mix quickly and lightly with fork, but do not beat. Batter will be lumpy.
Pour into lined muffin cups.

Bake for about 25 minutes.

*Variations: Mix in 1 cup of berries for berry muffins (blueberries, strawberries, etc.),
Add 1 cup of raisins and then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top for raisin spice muffins,
Fold in 1 cup of grated cheese for cheese muffins,
Add 1 cup of chocolate chips for chocolate chip muffins.
Be creative and add your own ideas.

Silver Dollar Hotties

Gluten Free Silver Dollar Sour Cream Pancakes

AKA Hotties

Lightly beat 2 large eggs.
Whisk in: 1 cup of sour cream

Combine in a separate bowl, then add to the eggs and sour cream:
1/4 cup Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour of your choice
1 1/2 T. Sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda

Put a little oil (canola or olive is what I always used) in your pan or on your griddle. Put about 1 T. of batter per pancake. Carefully turn when ready.

Serve with maple syrup.

I always doubled this recipe for you guys. It doesn't make a large batch.

Mopping with Gusto

A Recipe for Mopping with Great Success

First and foremost, you will want to do an excellent sweeping job. Sweep carefully the full area, moving any furniture or other items in the way. Next, mix up this great recipe for keeping floors clean. *IMPORTANT - this recipe worked for my floors in our antique apartment on Saluda Ave., make sure you check your own floors to see if this would be safe for them*

1/4 cup white vinegar
1 T. dish soap (Palmolive is what I use)
1/4 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer Washing Soda - you can pick it up at the grocery)
2 gallons of hot tap water

Great solution for mopping floors with gusto.

Dear Addie and Whit,

It is a Wednesday night and you are both tucked into your beds. Today is October 10, 2012. I have had the idea for awhile to create a blog for the two of you. I kept thinking of how I should make it or what it should be, and I realized that if I didn't jump in, it would stay an idea forever. So, here are a few musings, advice, recipes, and other tidbits for you both. My thought is that this will be an ongoing letter to the both of you. I hope to organize some tips and hopefully useful information. With the way things are today, surely you will be able to have access to this in the future. I hope that one day you will think of a recipe or some other thing you may want to have, and that if you live across the sea, or we are parted in some way, I hope you will find this and remember that I have loved you since the thought of you existed and I will always love you wherever life may take you. Life has many unexpected paths. I hope you both know that in things both big and small, I am "on your team", as we always say. Whether you need help getting something clean, making something good to eat, or hearing a comforting word, I hope this is a place you both find what you are looking for.