Veggie Muffins

I haven't written in awhile because school has begun which affects all of us in the house. Mom goes back to work as do the girls and daddy preps for afternoon homework helper. It's also the time of year we start making muffins again.

This is a staple in our house to take to school for snack time. It makes me feel good because of the volume of veggies that go inside each little muffin. The girls love them, I love them and so does daddy. They are especially yummy the moment they come out of the oven but honestly, they are delicious and moist when cold too.

I usually use a pre-made muffin mix like fiber one mixes because they are easy, and I love the extra fiber that's hidden so well among delicious flavors like banana nut, blueberry and apple spice. I then take approximately 3 cups of shredded veggies (carrots, zucchinni or both), and throw it into the mix. Continue to follow baking directions. It might take longer for the muffins to finish cooking and you will need to ignore the desire to up the temperature because you don't want to burn the bottoms of the delectable treats. I usually leave them in the pan to solidify a little before removing them to a cooling rack.

They are so moist and the kids know that the vegetables are in there and they believe, because I have told them so, that it's the veggies that make them so moist and wonderful so they don't shy away from eating them.

A wonderful, portable healthy snack that is fun for all to make together in the kitchen. I firmly believe kids are more likely to eat it if they have had a hand in making it.

Enjoy!

Bells

Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem

I bought this book several months ago but just read it today.  Written by Jack Prelutsky, this cross between an autobiography, poetry how to, and funny, family  anectdotals, is a rare find.  Mr. Prelutsky opens his childhood memory box and allows his readers to understand where his inspiration for stories originate.  Not only does he share what gave him the idea for each of the poems in this book, he gives a craft lesson as well.  He somehow manages to do all of this great teaching within a simple framework that will have students and adults laughing until they cry.  Interspersed throughout the book, he slides in statements about revision and never giving up on a piece of writing.  Mr. Prelutsky repeatedly shares the importance of a writers notebook and makes writing seem very much like a guy thing to do.  Overall, a great book that I highly recommend.

Grade Recommendation:  Some of the vocabulary can be tough at times but if a student has strategies for handling unfamiliar words, then this charming book would do well with students from second grade through eighth grade.  It's really ageless since it is an adult making reference to (and making fun of)  his childhood, students of most ages will be able to connect and identify with the stories.

Read Aloud Discussion:  A perfect read aloud while introducing poetry or writers workshop.  Definitely inspiring students to write while entertaining them at the same time.

Mentor Text:  As mentioned in the read aloud comments, this book is a perfect introduction to both poetry and writer's workshop.  I plan to use it this next year while introducing writer's workshop.  We may revisit it again during our poetry unit.

Under the Dome

While I appreciate the writing of Stephen King, I have to say I'm not usually a fan of his genre choice.  I can't handle i!  He writes so darn well that it.... scares me.  I had read a review of this book and something about it intrigued me so I gave it a try and it makes me wonder if I have changed or if he has.  His writing is still tremendous and the visuals he creates as well as the diaogue is spot on dynamic.  But it's the web of characters and his unique ability to hold a large story together that I find so fascinating.  I had to re-read the beginning a few times to grasp all of the characters that were being thrown at me but once I grasped who the central players were I let the others drift from my mind and was honestly surprised to revisit them later in the story.  I'm making it sound like it was a difficult read and it truly wasn't but I did have to pay attention to keep it all straight.

The premise of the story is that an large invisible dome drops down on a small town community and then we are given the opportunity to glimpse this community at work and how they react to such conditions.  It's a little Lord of the Flies meets Friday Night Lights.  We all support the team is a common mantra throughout the tale with a varried opinion of what that actually means.  Throw in some crooked politicians, a serial killer or two and you have a big book with a lot of characters that I couldn't put down.  My husband was reading this one at the same time as I was and it was a great couples book to discuss.  There was plenty of violence for him and unsuspecting romance for me.  Or, is that there was plenty of violence for me and some subtle romance for him?  Either way, we both loved it and would highly recommend this for a science fiction escape.

I wouldn't recommend this book for children, however high school students would love it if they could stick with it for the duration of this lengthy story.

Taco Salad

We had dinner with friends last night and had what has become our favorite meal with this family.  They have several dietary restrictions; no dairy, no wheat, no eggs, and we have the picky eater.  This wonderful meal meets all of our needs and can be prepared ahead of time leaving us plenty of visit time.  The other wonderful point to this meal is you can get elaborate with choices if you are feeling spunky or you can keep it basic to a few items.  We usually fall somewhere in between.  Besides the meat, it's a matter of chopping veggies and putting them out for everyone.  For the meat,  we usually chop an onion, brown some ground beef and add taco seasoning of choice.  Kids make nachos and we all have salads.  It couldn't be simpler.  Here are our favorite sides:

Corn Chips
Guacomole
Sour Cream
Tomatoes
White ONion
Cheddar Cheese
A Melted Velveeta Cheese
Hot Peppers
Green Chilies
Lettuce
Various Salsas (Peach is the stand by)
Refried Beans
Corn
Black Beans

Other Options:
Black Olives
Dressings
Crunchy Toppings:  nuts, croutons
Anything you would put on a salad