The Pay-It-Forward Plate

Today I'm grateful because last week was so rewarding. On Tuesday, I took a plate of Pecan Puffs to my Baristas at Starbucks. When they tried to return the plate, I told them no, that it's a pay-it-forward plate, which meant that one of them could use it to treat someone else to a kindness from their kitchen. The cookies, which came off of this plate, were a huge hit, so I imagine that one of those baristas will take the plate home, wash it up good, and fill it with some other favorite tastes-like-Christmas delicacy. 

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PPBF: Tofu Takes Time

It's dewberry season and that spells Kolaches in our home.

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PPBF: Christmas Cookies

Yesterday I was the administrator on duty all morning long, so I grabbed the character cam and we spotted a decorated door, which begs the question: 

How are you a light?

We also spotted this bulletin board with responses to the writing prompt: 

What is the greatest gift you've ever received?

Across from it hangs this Grinch bulletin board to track kind acts,

and we found a first-grade anchor chart 

with sparkle words describing the Grinch

and noting his transformation. 

So, as we near Christmas break, today's PPBF pick 

also features a festive theme.

Christmas Cookies: Bite-Size Holiday Lessons

Author: Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Illustrator: Jane Dyer

Publisher: Harper-Collins Publishers

Date: September 30, 2008

Suitable for ages 4 and up

Non-fiction

Themes: Christmas, values, manners

Brief synopsis: Using common holiday words, the author defines vocabulary in connection with baking cookies. 

Opening Page: ANTICIPATION means, I've been thinking all day about making the cookies. I'm so excited. I can't wait.

Resources: 

Read a review of the book on the Imperfect Parent blog {here}.

See all of Amy's books and watch an author interview {here}.

Using Amy's books as a therapeutic parenting resource post {here}.

Watch the book's trailer on You Tube

Why I like this book: It's probably as much a book for adults as it is for kids, complete with illustrations that are precious and words that perfectly complement this time of year. Words like tradition, responsible, thoughtful, gracious, joy, gratitude, peace, and hope. And to keep it real, the author even included a few not-as-uplifting words like disappointed, selfish, and lonely. Brainstorm words that your learners would have included and talk about their cookie-connection definitions. Let them illustrate their word and, voila, you'll have a delicious visual display! 

But positive or negative, all of the vocabulary connects back to the time-honored tradition of enjoying kindness in the kitchen making Christmas cookies. Together. Talk about a tasty treat. I predict you'll love every little morsel of this holiday treasure, including the recipe in the back of the book. Here's a plate from our house to yours; click the picture for our Sour Cream Sugar Cookie recipe. 

After you make and decorate a batch, why not deliver them individually or on a plate to a neighbor, friend, or family in need.

Happy baking!

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Monday Made It: Just Peachy

Just another Monday, except that it's Joshua's first day back at band and my last Monday off for the summer of 2014. If I could save time in a bottle ... 

Last time I linked up, Tara came by the Corner and commented that I should have written a post about the book. What? What?? Me, talk about the book? 

What a novel idea {tee hee}.

And, since I love Tara, I am going to talk a bit about the book. 

In a little bit. 

First things first. 

Doesn't this butter bread look just peachy?

It's hands-down my favorite treat ever {when enjoyed just out of the oven, that is}. 

Its buttery-deliciousness is unparalleled if the peaches are just right, though I've been known to substitute blueberries when peaches are out of season.

So there it is. My Monday Made-It.

Just Peachy Butter Bread.

What? You'd like to make one, too?

Well, it's super easy!

1 stick of butter  

Melt this in the oven in the pan while you're mixing the other ingredients.

1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 cup milk

Use bowl with lid and shake these ingredients together until well mixed.

Pour this liquid mixture over the melted butter in the pan.

2 cups sliced fresh peaches

Place the fruit into the batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for about 50 minutes. Cool slightly, then enjoy.

Have I mentioned that it's tastiest when warm?

Chewy, gooey, savory wonderfulness!

Anyway, when I'm not cooking up something in my kitchen,

I'm gathering and sharing ideas to make life more joyfully palpable.

Last October, I was approached by a publisher, let's call her Marian, about sharing those strategies in a book. It wasn't the first time anyone had ever asked if I'd written a book; that's a fairly common question after people attend my workshops. My pat answer would be that I did have a enough content for a book and that you could access it for free online at my school's website and my blog. But Marian wasn't satisfied with that answer, so we collaborated, and, eight months later, my baby book was born.

Maybe you've seen the cover graphic ... 

or ... maybe you have a copy?

Several of my friends actually read it pre-release

because I needed endorsements,

like this one from Lisa at Growing Firsties.

So I pretty much wrote non-stop for two months and submitted my rough draft on New Year's Eve of 2013. Then we went into editing, followed by revisions, more editing, proofing, more proofing, layout, still more proofing, final sign-off {scary!} and print. My little handbook was released on May 30, 2014, and my copies were delivered June 2nd, the day after my 53rd birthday, proof that you're never too old and it's never too late ... 

The book has a FB page {here} and a Pinterest page {here}.

It's been a blast collecting superhero-themed stuff!

I wrote this little cadence last week if you want to grab it:

The book study continues tomorrow; we're on Chapter 10.

Come back for the links to posts written by Jana and Danielle!

What have you made lately?

Why not head to Tara's beautiful blog and share!

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Scrambling Eggs

Today I'm thinking about eggs.

How many references to eggs can you think of?

You're a good egg.

He's a rotten egg.

Don't be an egg head.

You're walking on egg shells.
She's got egg on her face.

That's more valuable than a golden egg.

Don't put all of your eggs in one basket.

My favorite has to be this one:

Maybe because I'm a baker.

Maybe because it's so true.

And probably because I see two sides to it.

Mr. Morgan is right that once scrambled, you can't make an egg whole again. That being said, he cautions his reader to choose carefully, and I like that advice.

But the other part that I see is that, even though you can't unscramble them, there are always lots of options for what to do with eggs that you've scrambled. Just add cheese and breakfast sausage. Or make huevos rancheros. Why not throw in some fried potatoes for a German dish. Omelette anyone?

So I'm headed to the kitchen to scramble an egg and make it into my grandma's crumb cake, because my friend Nigs is coming for a visit from England and it'll be the perfect complement to our afternoon tea.

Just for fun, here's that recipe.

Grandma Natzke's Crumb Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup soft butter

Mix well in bowl; take out 3/4 cup mixture for topping.

To the remaining butter/flour/sugar mix, add

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. soda

Beat until smooth.

Pour into 9x13" cake pan. Sprinkle crumb mixture over top.

Bake at 340 degrees for 40 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream or with your favorite coffee.

Buen provecho!

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Shrimply Devine

I always chuckle when people start a conversation with, "Let me be honest," or "I'm gonna be honest," because I can't help but wonder if their normal m.o. is to be dishonest. But today I find myself wanting to start that exact same way. When that school family member offered to bring me some shrimp, 

I honestly did not see this coming:

Those beady little eyes looking up at me, I know, I know, they were already long dead, but something about this, coupled with the fact that they had not yet been deveined, kind of creeped me out. 

And yet, when life gives you shrimp...

Yep, it's time to share a mouth-watering recipe that I {honestly} think you'll want to try, after you find a friend to help you behead and devein these 
little devils, of course.

Italian Shrimp

2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup olive oil

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. oregano

3 bay leaves

2 tsp. rosemary

25 cloves garlic, mashed (fewer as desired)

1 cup dry white wine

 Place all ingredients except wine in large skillet and cook over medium high heat for 20-25 minutes until shrimp are pink; stir occasionally. Reduce the heat and add wine. Cook at low simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 5-7 minutes. Serve hot with pan juices and your favorite bread for dipping. Add a side of Fettucini Alfredo for a heavenly complement. Delish!

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A Recipe For Reciprocity

I got this note some time ago with some yummy apple cake! 

It was kind of an unwritten rule in my house, too, but if I were to ascribe to it now, I don't think I would ever catch up. 

Here's what's been delivered this past month:

chicken enchiladas - thanks LaBorde family

curry chicken and rice - thanks Gidika's mom

seafood gumbo - thanks Ricky and Jane Anne

chicken parmesan - thanks Kindergarten Team

chicken casserole and tomato bisque - thanks Liz

beef and chicken fajitas - thanks Team First

chicken pot pie - thanks Denise Smith

pizza - thanks Specials Team

sloppy joes - thanks Laura

taco soup - thanks Autumn

vegetable soup - thanks Karolyn

cottage pie - thanks Caroline

beef roast - thanks Cheryl

lasagne - thanks Lynette

stuffed shells - thanks Laura 

gnocchi soup - thanks Laura

beer bread - thanks Nancy

 chicken chili - thanks Amy

ravioli - thanks Nancy

cabbage rolls - thanks Laura

subway sandwiches - thanks Carrie

muffins - thanks Terri

apple cake - thanks Caryn

apple pie - thanks Liz

pecan pie - thanks Jennifer

assorted cookies - thanks Cindy

two cheese cakes - thanks Carol and Susan

I hope I haven't forgotten anyone. And for the record, I did return Caryn's plate with some blueberry bread - here's that recipe. 

It makes two loaves, one to keep and 

one to share.

Blueberry Bread   

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 cups flour

1 T. and 1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 T. all-purpose flour

Blend eggs and sugar, add milk and butter. Sift dry ingredients into liquid. Coat berries with the 2 T. of flour, then fold into batter. Split batter evenly among two greased loaf pans. Lightly sprinkle batter with sugar for a bakery-top crust. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. Mmmmm!

Oh, and when you can, always return the container with 

something tasty!

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Crockpot Monday

Who's ready for a SOUPer Cyber Monday? I'm not sure about the cyber part, but I do know that after a week off, I am going to be super happy for this pot of deliciousness when I get home from work today!

It's a taco soup recipe, loosely based on one my friend Vera shared a few years back. I'm going to serve it with tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Yum, yum.

Taco Soup

4 cans of beans (I use black, chili, pinto, kidney)

1 can corn

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can mild chili peppers

1 can tomato soup

1 packet of taco seasoning

1 bottle or can of beer (or chicken broth)

Chicken breasts or tenders

Combine all of the ingredients and stir well before adding chicken pieces. Let cook in crock pot five hours, then remove chicken and shred. Cook a bit longer, then serve with chips, cheese, sour cream and guacamole as desired. ¡Olé!

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The Aroma of Autumn

So today I'm sharing the Pumpkin Bread recipe I've been making for years, typically only during the autumn months when pumpkin is in season. Since the recipe makes two loaves, we always have one for the family and another to share!

Pumpkin Bread

3 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Sift these ingredients together. Make a well in the middle for the following:

1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup water
1 can of pumpkin (2 cups)
1/2 cup cinnamon chips (optional)

Mix until smooth and split batter evenly between two greased loaf pans. Sprinkle granulated (or brown) sugar over the batter for a bakery-top crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes; give it the knife test to make sure it is baked all the way through. EnJOY alone or with cream cheese.

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What's Cookin'?

Susan over at T.G.I.F. is having her first link-up and it involves recipes, so of course I'm in! Snag my recipe, then click her adorable graphic to be transported to her blog for more deliciousness.

I have two Chicken Salad recipes, my old standby and Aunt Mary's Gourmet Chicken Salad. This week I chose the latter for a luscious light summertime lunch. Just look at how pretty it is (in my favorite Pampered Chef bowl),

 right before I added the dressing.

So if at this point you're wondering what makes this Chicken Salad so special, you're in luck because I've got Aunt Mary's permission to share the secrets!  

First ingredient is a no brainer - shredded chicken. You could boil your chicken but the meat from a baked bird is a bit juicier. It's your call. I bake mine atop a few strips of bacon to add a little flavor. Next three ingredients in equal proportions: celery, walnuts, and dried cranberries. I know, YUM, right? Cut those colorful fillers into bite-sized pieces and toss with the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and add just the right amount of mayo to moisten it. Serve on a butter croissant, on a bed of lettuce or inside a large tomato with a side of fresh fruit for the BEST lunch you've had in a while. 
Bon appétit!

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Bucket Filling Is Berry Fun!

Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music! 

It's blueberry time again at Moorhead Farms, so we spent a glorious hour on Father's Day evening filling our buckets with these tasty treasures!  

Yum, yum . . . 

So today, I'm baking these delicious blueberry muffins!
  

It also seems like a good time to celebrate my blog's {almost} 200 cyberspace collaborators who leave bucket-filling reflections when they stop by the Corner. Bucket fillers make wherever they go BETTER because they were there! So how about a giveaway?  Let's say I give away not one, not two, but THREE Bucket Filling books.  I've got copies of Have You Filled A Bucket Today? and Growing Up With A Bucket Full of Happiness, both author-signed by my friend Carol McCloud, so if you win, you'll get to choose.

Every comment between right now and Friday (June 22) at noon 5 pm (Central)

will equal ONE entry (just make sure to leave me your contact info.) - - - -  
Are you still dancing?  

Oh, and as a freebie, here's that Blueberry Muffin recipe:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup blueberries

Mix dry ingredients; make a well in center and add eggs, buttermilk and melted butter. Fold in blueberries and fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Sprinkle batter with sugar before baking for a bakery crust.

  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  


This giveaway is now closed. Check in on Saturday (June 23) to see if the Gruener Generator selected your entry. Visit Lesson Plans and Dirty Hands for another chance to win a signed copy.

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Tasty Pork Tenderloin

Day two of Teacher Appreciation Week and I'm excited today because it's my turn to share at our PreK and K Sharing collaborative. Go there next and read my Kids In The Kitchen post!

Pork Tenderloin Deliciousness

And since I'm posting a kid-friendly recipe over there, I've decided to post a teacher-friendly recipe here. It's actually something that my brother made for us years ago when he visited that has become one of our family's favorites, partly because it's SO fast and easy.

Pork Tenderloin

For pork: 

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 pork tenderloins (2 - 2 1/2 pound total)

2 T. olive oil

For glaze:

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 T. finely chopped garlic

1 T. Tabasco (optional!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stir together spices, then coat pork with spice rub.  Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until just beginning to smoke, then brown pork on all sides, about 4 minutes in all.  Leave pork in skillet.

Make glaze and roast pork:  Stir together brown sugar, garlic, and Tabasco; pat onto top of each tenderloin. Roast in the middle of the oven until a thermometer inserted diagonally in center of each tenderloin registers 140 degrees (about 20 minutes).  Let pork stand in skillet at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Add a little mango salsa on the side for a savory sensation. Serve with wild rice and steamed veggies; I'm going out to the garden to pick some green beans right now!

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Punch Bowl Surprise

With all of us home for spring break and tons of time on our hands, I've been happily creating in the kitchen!  Yesterday, I made this yummy version of Death By Chocolate, aka Punch Bowl Surprise.  It's a surprise because sometimes I use chocolate cake, sometimes brownies, sometimes I buy Buncha Crunch and other times Heath Candy, and sometimes I flavor the top layer of whipped cream with chocolate syrup, other times I use a chocolate-caramel combo.  I've even used a drop of almond extract before.  
I like to keep my family guessing.  

Just how do I make this? you ask.  Bake chocolate cake or brownies, then cut into pieces when cooled.  Divide in half; that's your first layer and your fourth layer.  On top of the first layer, put some Buncha Crunch or Heath bits.  (Fresh strawberries or raspberries work, too, if you want to make it healthier!)  Then spread a layer of chocolate pudding followed by a layer of whipped cream. Repeat and refrigerate. It's that easy. Oh, and what's not so surprising about Punch Bowl Surprise is how quickly we can make this decadence disappear.


Today I'm heading for Austin to take our college girl back for the rest of her freshman year.  How is that possible?  It's been such a treat to have her home this week; how abundantly blessed we are.

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That's RUMmy!

RUMmy Cake

So I came home after a hectic day yesterday and made this Rum Cake for a Teachers' Luncheon at Joshua's Junior High. Mmmmmm, it made the whole house smell YUMMY! I put John in charge of delivery and he was wondering if they'd notice if there's a piece missing. He suggested slicing it in advance and spreading them out on the plate so he could have some. Such a cute compliment!

Here's our Rum Cake recipe:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small box instand vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup rum

1/2 cup water

4 eggs

Mix batter and pour into greased Bundt pan. Bake 50-55 minutes at 350. While your cake is in the oven, boil the following ingredients together for 2-3 minutes:

Butter-Rum Sauce

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup rum

1 cup sugar, scant

Poke the cake with a fork as it's cooling and pour the Butter-Rum sauce over the top. 

Let cool a bit longer and invert onto a plate. Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream.

In addition to treating Joshua's teachers, I'm excited today because it's my turn to share over at PreK and K Sharing. I've updated my ABC Building Blocks for Caregivers, so head on over there to see what you think.

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The Muffin Man

So my sister called from Wisconsin last week, all excited to tell me this story, but she had to leave a voice mail because I was in session when the phone rang. Her message enthusiastically explained that she'd read this article in the paper and was cutting it out and sending it to me because, "it has Barbara written all over it!" She went on to tell me how this guy had come to Madison and was giving away free muffins to people in exchange for their good deeds. You shovel a neighbor's driveway, for example, you get a muffin. Taking a hot beverage to someone would get you a muffin. Picking up trash that isn't yours? Muffin. I got the article in the mail just yesterday; 

do you see that it's signed?

Click on the article to read the online account of this delicious Pay-It-Forward project.

That's cause it turns out that my sister was out running errands on the very afternoon that she'd come across that article and, sure enough, guess whom she ran into? Yep, the Muffin Man. She went up to him, of course, and before he could get a word in, she said, "I know who you are," to which he answered in  amazement, "you do?" She explained that she'd cut out the article and had it in her car to send to me; she somehow talked him into signing it for me because she was just sure that I'd be wanting to either blog about this or do something like this at my school. His message?  Be The Change!  

Then, in true Debra fashion, she asked him what he needed to keep his business going, and she went into the store and got him some gluten-free flour, in exchange for . . . you guessed it . . . a muffin. She wasn't even planning to take one, but he talked her into the Pear-Fig muffin and, for the record, she said that it was quite tasty.

I'm not really that big into rewarding people for their good deeds, but today I'm wondering: How might a trade like this work at your school or in your community? What might the reaction be? What might the outcome be? How might things change?


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NOTE:  Today’s story is just begging for some sort of recipe ex-CHANGE, so here’s my 
Peach Muffin recipe:

1 ½ cups flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 cup sugar (scant)

Combine in large bowl and make a well in the center.  Add:

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup vegetable or canola oil

Stir in these ingredients:

1 ½ coarsely chopped peaches (we use fresh peaches!)

½ tsp vanilla

¼ tsp. almond extract

½ cup chopped almonds or pecans (optional)

Grease muffin tins and pour batter in to fill.  Sprinkle muffin batter lightly with sugar before baking for a bakery-top crust. Makes 12 small muffins or 6 large muffins.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  YuM!

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What's For Dinner Tonight?

One of our wedding gifts some twenty years ago was a Crate & Barrel deep-dish pizza pan set; our family's FAVORITE dinner has been my homemade stuffed deep dish pizza ever since. I used my time home on Monday to set the dough and make this creation; what's for dinner at your place tonight?

This is our Pepperoni/Canadian Bacon combo stuffed pizza!

Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza

1 T. sugar

1 cup warm water

2 ¼ tsp. dry yeast (1 packet)

Dissolve sugar in glass bowl with warm water.  Sprinkle yeast over top of warm sugar water and stir in. Let sit until bubbly.

Take 2 cans of diced tomatoes and season as desired (some come already seasoned – I add basil and oregano. Garlic makes it tasty, too.)  Set aside to marinate, then use for topping.  The longer the tomatoes sit, the more flavorful they are.

In a large mixing bowl add together:

3 cups flour

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt

¼ cup olive oil

yeast mixture (once it’s activated)

Mix with mixing blade, then use kneading hook – or mix together until blended and pull out of bowl to knead by hand.  This is enough dough for a double-crusted pizza.  It needs to rise for at least 2 hours.  I put it into a bowl lightly coated with olive oil and covered with a towel to rise.  You can punch it down up to 2 times.  (I usually just let it rise once then I’m ready to use it)

When it’s risen and you’re ready, use 2/3 of the dough for the bottom crust and reserve 1/3 for the top crust.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees and position one rack low to the bottom and one close to the top.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to fit your deep-dish pizza pan’s bottom and come up the sides.  Leave a little over the edge so you can pinch the bottom-crust dough together with the top crust.

Fill it with whatever ingredients you want – I use Canadian Bacon, Pepperoni, and LOTS of mozzarella cheese (Call me a cheesehead; I use a 2 lb. bag!).  I put a layer of cheese, then the meats or other ingredients, then more cheese.  It’s good, too, with sausage or green peppers and olives, even pineapple!

Then roll out the remaining 1/3 dough to fit the pan.  Lay it right over the top of the ingredients and pinch it together with the sides from the bottom crust (kind of like you do for a fruit pie).

Put a slit in the top crust middle to release the heat.  I usually rub the top crust with olive oil before baking.  Bake without tomatoes on top the first 20 minutes as follows:

Bake 10 minutes on the bottom rack, then move it to the top rack and bake 10 more minutes. 

Pull it out and put the seasoned tomato bits on top, then bake for 10 more minutes until nicely browned edges appear on the crust. Top with parmesan cheese as desired. EnJOY! 

6

Christmas Pancakes

My sister, Debra, shared  this sweet sentiment she attached to a gift last year and I thought it might be something you'd enjoy putting together for a friend or family member next year.  Merry Christmas!

***************

Christmas Pancakes by Debra Bergman

There’s always been something extra special about Christmas morning. I don’t know; perhaps it’s being able to sleep in longer than usual with nowhere to go, no particular plans. Rising at my leisure to watch the sparkling snow fall lightly to the grown on a clear and crisp wintry day while I slowly shuffle around inside my warm and safe home, I enjoy the Currier and Ives scene outside my window as I sip a freshly brewed cup of coffee. I like to turn on Christmas music and read the morning paper and just relax. Don’t you? Or maybe too, you like knowing that your kids are home and that they will open the abundant pile of gifts that you have carefully shopped for and wrapped again this year; oh……. the anticipation of it all. Which one will Mellissa like best; what about Zack ,and we can’t forget Tyson . . . . 

     Yes, all of these Christmas morning memories and more are firmly imbedded in your mind as special traditions, I'm sure, but the one thing that makes them all complete is the Christmas morning Pancake breakfast. Mmmm……..Christmas pancakes.

     No time spent in the kitchen would be any fun at all without having every crucial item available to you, so we have assembled all that you will need to make the best Christmas morning pancake breakfast ever! First, let’s start with your kitchen attire. No cook is ever quite complete without a proper apron. Aprons have several functions; they allow you to wipe your hands when they are oily or wet, they keep your clothes from getting filled with flying batter, and they may even keep you just a bit warmer. The apron in your basket is most fitting for the season; it says it all….and, since it’s going to keep snowing, we have added a pair of matching fuzzy socks to keep the Christmas cook extra toasty.

     Martha Stewart says that having your kitchen looking extra inviting is half the trick to a special meal. With that in mind, we have added special cloth napkins for your place settings with; of course, cats on them, a personal statement magnet for your refrigerator, a Holiday decorative hanging towel and the last minute tree ornament…..'cause you can never have enough of those (and we couldn’t pass it up). To avoid any unnecessary kitchen stove burns, we have included the highly-rated amazing glove hot surface handler for all your baking needs.

     For your main breakfast dish….the pancakes; we have added the pancake mix, for drinks, eggnog and a special blend of pear cinnamon cider for you to serve. We suggest that you serve the pancakes with organically-produced Bergman Farm Grade A maple syrup. Not only does Wisconsin maple syrup have superb flavor, it also has a large variety of minerals and vitamins. 

     The traditional dinner bell was added as we could only guess that the kids will be engrossed in their gifts or on the phone with friends, perhaps even sleeping. Though we are certain that the wonderful aroma of your yummy Christmas morning cuisine will get them to the table, we added the bell just in case. After dinner mints have been included; they can help settle just about any over indulgence.

     The after meal clean up is our least favorite part of any meal, but to make it easier on you; we have added two handmade gifts found at this year’s Warner park craft fair, a wash cloth to help clean those just-eaten-from sticky dishes and a scrubby to clean those just-cooked-from pans. Now that the meal is done, isn’t it about time to go back to relaxing? I am usually still in my pajamas; I hope you are too. 

***************

To make your own Christmas Pancakes, mix together 1 cup flour, 3 T. sugar, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 cup Buttermilk, 1 egg, 3 T. cooking oil.  Pour batter onto a griddle.  Flip when batter bubbles to brown evenly. EnJOY with Wisconsin Pure Maple Syrup!         

                                                                                                 

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