Review - Everyday Cooking

 

 

Everyday Cooking

Publisher:  Everyday Homemaking

Web Site:  http://www.everydayhomemaking.com/

Cost:  $14.99 ebook, $17.99 print

I love recipes – recipe books, recipe magazines, recipe web sites, you name it.  I’m not one to enjoy the same meal week after week – variety is the spice of life (especially while test driving new spices!). 

My family, however, is just the opposite.  The hubby always tells me he’d be just as happy if I’d set up a weekly meal plan with the same meal each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.  Then, he’d know what to look forward to and it’d be easier on me.  Well, except that I’d die of food boredom!

So, I compromise.  I try to find recipes that include the foods they like, but are used in different ways.  We do have a repertoire of foods everyone loves that we cycle through throughout the month, but throwing something new in from time to time keeps me happy.

My boys are growing up and their palates are maturing.  They are discovering new tastes and likes – this makes me quite happy!  My youngest has always had an interest in cooking, so when I received the Everyday Cooking e-book from Everyday Homemaking, I knew I wanted to get him involved.

What I really like is that the recipes are simple.  They appeal to my families palate and make my hubby happy.  Most of the recipes I’ve tried or considered have ingredients found right in my pantry.  None of this fancy stuff I have to go to some specialty food store to find knowing full well I’ll probably get a “What’s this? Yuck!” when I serve it.  Want to see what I mean?  Check out their web site where a few sample recipes from the cookbook are featured. 

So, back to my son.  I told him to open the e-book on my computer and pick his three favorite recipes to try.  Later that day, he gave me his list.  I was surprised to see they were all entrees.  The recipe book includes appetizers, breads, main dishes and desserts.  If you would like to see the full table of contents, you can view sample pages from the book here.  He picked Chicken Quesadillas, Chicken and Dumplings, and Stuffed Shells. 

All three of his choices were super simple and made for an entertaining time in the kitchen for both of us.  I got to teach him more about cooking, and he got to do the driving and put the meal on the table for our family.  We loved the quesadillas – we’re all big time fans of Mexican food.  In fact, he invited his big brother and his brother’s girlfriend over another night to join us and made them again.  They were a hit!

 

Chicken and dumplings were a lot of fun and an education for my Southern born family.  Here in the South, dumplings are large doughy noodles.  I’m not a fan.  Where I come from, out West, dumplings were biscuits that are cooked right on top of the chicken stew.  The recipe in this book is Western style.  The dumplings (or biscuits) came out perfect and gave my hubby and boys an appreciation for the non-Southern variety.

Stuffed shells turned out great as well.  I showed him how to put the filling in a Ziplock bag and cut the corner so all you have to do is squeeze the filling in instead of spooning it. 

I really like this cookbook as a go-to family friendly option.  As I said, the recipes are simple and use ingredients right from the pantry.  Plus, anything that gets me and my boys working together to make something wonderful for the family has my seal of approval.  He’s been assigned to pick three more – I can’t wait to find out what we’ll be dining on next week!

If you would like to see reviews by other Schoolhouse Molly Review Crew members – click here.

*** Disclaimer – I received this e-book free of charge as a member of the Molly Review Crew in exchange for my honest review.

Review - Notable Novelists Card Game

Notable Novelists of the 20th Century

Web Site:  http://www.notablenovelists.com

Cost:  $10.95

Age:  Elementary and Up

Notable Novelists is a modern and educational version of Go-Fish.  I decided to break it out on vacation at the beach.  We needed a little family time while hanging out and resting in the hotel.  We always enjoyed Go-Fish when the boys were younger, so, why not now?

Everyone was willing to play – yay!  It is just as simple as it sounds – deal the cards, work towards getting matches.  At the end, the most matches wins.  To see the directions – click here.   The cool thing is that instead of matching cartoon-like fish, you are matching novelists with their mini-biography and their works.  Each match has an Author, Bio and Library Card.  

What I liked about it is that we were learning while just playing a game. Some of the authors we didn’t recognize like Nabokov or Cheever until we saw what they had written.  The Bio tidbits offer small insights into the life of the author you otherwise wouldn’t know.  You can see all the authors listed – here.  

We had a lot of fun playing.  “So, Dad, do you have a Nabokov (imagined this name butchered) bio?” followed by a chuckle.  When a match was made, the person getting the match would then read the cards aloud.  This helped us learn and start to remember which author was responsible for which work.

I can see pulling this game out from time to time – we got pretty sneaky with our strategies for figuring out who had which cards to make our matches.  You wouldn’t think a child’s game of go-fish could become an adult strategy game.  ha!

I think, too, I’m going to bring it in to the homeschool co-op English class I teach.  It’ll be a fun game to play at the end of the semester. 

If you’d like to see reviews by other Schoolhouse Review Crew members – click here.

*** Disclaimer:  I received this card game free of charge as a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review.

Blog Cruise - The Homeschool Juggling Act

We have found homeschooling to be quite the juggling act.  Contrary to the old misconception that homeschoolers are unsocialized, we find that we have to pick and choose just what it is we can make time to be a part of.  There are so many great opportunities and activities out there that school can take a back seat if we aren’t careful.

First the question isn’t, “How do you do it all?”   Because, put simply, we don’t.  We can’t.  School is first – everything else must fit around it.One thing I love about homeschool is allowing the boys to follow their passions.  I make it a point to only participate in things that either I know will further their education or help them grow, or things that they are passionate about.  Often, these two overlap.

School is first – we “do school” formally from 8:30 in the morning until it’s done.  This can be anywhere between 1:00 and 4:00 depending on the day and what needs to be accomplished.  It’s never a rush – the focus is on doing it right and learning, not on just getting done.  Yes, sometimes this is a battle, but, most of the time, they embrace the fact that their education is important.

We are blessed to be in two co-ops.  I blogged about these this summer – you can check them out here.

In the co-ops, we not only have academics, but much of their social activities come from these. 

Youngest is in yearbook, filmmaking, gavel and newspaper.

Middle is in yearbook, student government, speech and debate, and newspaper.

One of our co-ops also involves a lot of social time.  Each Friday the kids meet to do something fun be it game night, a movie, laser tag, etc.  We also do group activities like camping, festivals, kayaking, you name it.  This group is wonderful because there are tons of activities – the boys pick the ones they are most interested in to go.

Middle is also very active in taekwondo earning his black belt this year.  We use TKD as our PE for high school.  Life is learning.

I love all that is available to homeschoolers – sports, Key club, ROTC, engineers clubs, artistic classes, etc.  They really don’t “miss out” on anything they could be doing in public school.  It’s all about balance – finding the best balance between academics and activities.

My advice?  Set your priorities.  Anything that fits in around those priorities and benefits your student is great.  Anything that doesn’t, no matter how cool is sounds, you have to pass on. 

On another note – take care of mom and dad!  I know from experience that mom can run herself ragged making sure her kids get to all their events and activities while also teaching in the home.  Mom has a threshold.  If the kids have to miss out on something so that mom has one night of peace, then so be it! 

Mom and Dad need time together too.  Dad is often the financier of the homeschool.  He needs time and attention.  Don’t let dad fall through the cracks.  Keep him involved and make sure he knows he’s loved too. 

There is a lot to balance, but it's all worth it in the end.  Priorities!  That's the key - God, family, education, activites, fun.  In that order, things will all work out.

How do you juggle your busy homeschooling life?

Interested in how other Schoolhouse Review Crew members fit it all in?  Click here.

Review - Golden Prairie Press - Costumes with Character

Costumes with Character

Golden Prairie Press

Author:  Amy Puetz
Web Site:  http://amypuetz.com/
Cost:  ebook - $21.95, printed - $37.00, patterns - $15.00
Ages:  Elementary to High School

I agreed to review Costumes with Character because I wanted ideas to make a dress up box for my two twin nieces.  What I didn’t realize was that this e-book is so much more than just a set of ideas for making costumes! 

Costumes with character is written by Amy Puetz – a homeschool graduate who is passionate about history.  I’m so impressed with this young lady’s store – she has several books all pertaining to history in some way that she has developed.  You can read all about her and her online store at http://amypuetz.com/Aboutus.html. 

So, back to the e-book.  I expected to see ideas for patterns for different costumes representing genres in history.  What I didn’t expect was to find a curriculum.  She starts with a basic dress.  What a great idea!  One dress that you then add different embellishments to to transform it into the period costume.  The directions for each embellishment are clear and concise.  You don’t need to be a seamstress to follow along.  They are simple enough that most anyone can do it.  She provides clear details to ensure you are creating a costume that will fit your child or you. 

  When my boys were younger, they loved being in the moment.  In fact, my middle son used to say he was “being” not “pretending”.  This meant he needed full garb and tools to actually “be” the character, not just pretend.  This is what these costumes are about – being, not pretending.  This book offers costumes covering ten different periods from Colonial to Turn of the Century and ends with the makings of a lovely tea party.  (My daughter loved her tea parties when she was young!)

But that’s not all…  Remember I said it was so much more than just a book of sewing ideas – it’s a curriculum?  Not only does she include the ideas for making the costumes, but each section is a history lesson where she describes what the dress of that period was and why.  What was its function, how did the men dress?  How did it identify them in society? 

Adding to her own insights are quotes from the period, beautiful illustrations and Recommended Resources to allow your student to really immerse herself in the period through literature.  Each period also includes a section of questions for the reader to respond to – questions like “Name the first governor of Plymouth Plantation.”  A little research goes a long way to really developing a rounded understanding of the period being covered.  (Answers are provided.)  To see what I’m talking about, view a sample of the book here - http://amypuetz.com/CostumesWithCharacterAmyPuetzSample.pdf. 

I LOVE this concept.  We like to be a school of experience – live it to learn it.  We enjoy cooking period food, reading period pieces, or even visiting sites that help us develop a better understanding of life during that timeframe.  How wonderful to be able to take one dress and with your daughter embellish each one to fit the period you are studying.  Makes me want a little girl of my own to do this with! 

As your daughter makes her outfits, the sewing does progress.  For example, in the Romantic Era she’ll add simple embroidery to a small letter case and create a bonnet.  Several hats are created to go along with the time of the Pioneers, Civil War and Sailors.  What fun!  In the end, she’ll have a tea party complete with homemade invitations, games and suggested foods.  If your daughter is like mine, she has a favorite American Doll.  The book suggests making costumes to fit the doll along with the ones your child makes for herself.  You know she’ll love that!

Amy has just posted a book of patterns to her web site as well.  If you prefer to simply print out patterns instead of using the measurements to create your own – this is a great addition at only $12.00, on sale now!  The patterns print to legal paper.  Some are larger and require you to cut them out and paste them together.  Easy! 

I just love the creativity and inspiration that went into creating this book.  If you have daughters at home that love “being” instead of “pretending”, give Amy’s books a try.  You’ll have a great time not only learning history, but learning about sewing and developing a fun mini-wardrobe that your children can use to create small plays, or just live in the past for a little while. 

To see reviews by other Schoolhouse Review Crew members – click here.

*** Disclaimer:  I received these e-books free of charge as a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review.

Week 1, Year 5 - Half Way to Graduation... Time So Does Fly!

I was thinking just this morning that I cannot believe we’ve been homeschooling for five years!  It feels like we just started!  Wow!  My youngest had now officially been homeschooling the same amount of time he spent in public school. 

This is our first week.  We’ve started slow, just doing half days.  Our co-op where they each take three classes had some pre-start work to get done, so we’re focusing on that.  Next week, it’ll be full days.

What I love is the boys positive attitude.  They were ready to start.  I’ve been sick all week, and they’ve just gotten up each morning and hit the ground running.  I think we’ve finally reached that panacea I dreamed of when we started homeschoolng.  They love to learn! 

After five years of homeschooling,  I can still honestly say I’ve never woken up a single day and wished we weren’t doing school here at home.  It’s such a joy.  What makes me sad is that we are now at the half way point, five years from now, they will both have graduated.   Sigh!

How long have you been homeschooling?

There is No Such Thing as Normal

I had a really interesting conversation the other day with a friend of mine.  She has two beautiful boys.  She used to introduce herself and her family by saying who she was, saying who her oldest son was and then stating that he has autism.  One day she realized, even if he wasn’t with her, she felt compelled to state he had autism.  She decided that day to just say she has two sons.  

Why is it she felt the need to almost apologize or explain her son’s condition?  I think it’s because as humans were overly focused on what is “normal”.  Anything out of the usual stands out.  The problem is that I can’t really find normal.  We’re all weird.  Just some of us have a better facade than others. 

That’s the conclusion my friend and I came to – there is no normal.

Some of us, like her son, have more obvious unique characteristics; however, all of us have those eccentricities that make us out of the norm.  It might be your superstitions, or your anxieties, or your ritual for going to bed at night.  Some of us live and breathe by the number of comments we get on Facebook while others spend their time waving their hands around screaming look at me!  Then there are those of us that just want to hide. 

School starts back this week here in NC.  Many have already started back.  One thing I remember hating about school back in my day was the cliques and always worrying what someone might decide to pick on me for.  Too smart, too dumb, too pretty, too ugly, four-eyes, brace face, walks funny, talks funny – you name it.  Kids have a way of finding those little quirks and exposing them to the world.  The meaner ones do it so that it makes them look more normal by making their prey look, gasp, weird. 

Why do we spend so much time trying to fit in?  I'm a democrat, I’m a Republican, I’m a Christian, I’m a Muslim.  Sure, there are times when labels fit the bill, but I think it’s important to embrace our differences not let them separate us from one another.  Are we just grown up bullies, or are we people ready to embrace the fact there is no normal and enjoy our differences?

Review: Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers

Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers – PDF

Author:  Douglas Bond
Publisher: Christian Liberty Press
Web Site:  http://www.shopchristianliberty.com/mr-pipes-and-the-british-hymn-makers-pdf/
Grade:  7^th-10^th

Cost:  $8.79

Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers is the first book in a series written by Douglas Bond.  According to the preface, the purpose for writing these books is as follows:

“Many Christians at the opening of the twenty-first century, including young believers, have never understood the importance of approaching God with awesome reference and majestic praise.  As readers move through Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers, however, they will not only learn about the fascinating lives of famous hymn writers but will also be encouraged to cultivate an attitude of humble adoration as they approach their Maker.”

I don’t know that I fully agree with his assessment that young believers don’t understand reverence; however, I do know that many youth have not grown up with the hymns that are a large part of traditional worship.  Nowadays, contemporary worship seems to appeal more to the younger crowd.  I woulnd’t call it irreverent, but I would say that we are losing some connection with the history that represents many of the hymn writers.

The book itself is well written.  Personally, I would lower the age range from 7^th to 10^th grade to more around 5^th to 8^th grade.  The book format reminds me a bit of the Tree House series in the sense that two children are the focus and have adventures.  However, these “adventures” are quite different from other series.  Instead of fantastical journeys, they spend time with Mr. Pipes learning to fish or sail or visiting London.  During their down time, Mr. Pipes tells them stories about hymn makers of the past and encourages them to sing with him.  The premise is endearing.

What I really liked about this approach is that the reader is really getting a history lesson under the guise of a fictional story.  As Mr. Pipes weaves the tale about the hymn maker(s), he also helps the children understand the foundations of their faith and the importance of worship.  Additionally, I found the artists renderings throughout the book to have that old world feel that fits with the location and the study of historical hymn writers.

Having a male and a female teen as main characters, this story can appeal to both males and females.   I was a little uncomfortable with the children roaming around an unfamiliar town alone and making friends with strangers; however, the age range indicated for the book would ensure the children understand this is fiction and not safe in the “real world”.  Younger students might need this reminder.

I find this to be a fun read that would be an excellent supplement to a course on music, hymns or even worship.  To see the first thirty pages – click here.

If you would like to read additional reviews by members of the TOS Schoolhouse Review Crew – click here.

Disclaimer:  I received a PDF of this book free at a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review.