Try a New Recipe Tuesday- December 17

Trying to get this posted a bit earlier this week.  :-)

My oldest made an apple crisp last week and we are linking that up in the first spot.  It is delicious and was easy to make (in the microwave!)  :-)  I know he'd love if you would come over and take a look.

Now onto today's features:

Vanilla Thumbrints and Peppermint Cookies at Family, Faith and Fridays

DIY Vanilla Extract from Morsels of Life

Veggie Fried Rice from Melding Magic

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Apple Crisp (in the microwave!)

Another gem of a recipe my children made in their 4H Microwave Cooking class was Apple Crisp. You can use any fruit you like.

5 cups sliced apples
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine

In mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon.

Cut in butter/margarine until crumbly.  Set aside.  Place the apple slices in a 2-quart casserole dish.

Sprinkle oatmeal mixture evenly over the apples.

Microwave on high (100%) for 15 minutes, rotating dish one-quarter turn every 5 minutes (if you do not have a rotating disk on the bottom).

Enjoy!  :-)

Linking up with the Gathering Spot, Kids in the Kitchen, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Mighty Arrows,Addicted to Recipes, Homemaking Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesday,NOBH, Judy H-J's Thoughts, Wisdom Wednesday , Favorite Things, Modest Mom, Full Plate Thursday and Melt in your Mouth Monday and Show Off Friday and Tuesday's Table and Look What We Did and Titus 2sday,  Mom's Monday Mingle, Monday Mingle, Crafty Spices, Better Mom,Create with Joy, Thursday's Treasures, Tasty Thursdays and Wonderful Food Wednesday and Mondays with Countrified Hicks and Tuesday How to Party and the Tried and True Recipe Party and Kids and Mom in the Kitchen and Family Fun Friday and Clever Chicks Blog Hop andAll My Bloggy Friends and Hearts for Home Blog Hop and Foodie Friends Friday and Family Fun Friday and TGIF Linky Party and Food on Friday andHip Homeschool Moms, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home andGood Tastes Tuesday and Thriving Thursday and Friday Flash Blog Hop 

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Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up- December 14

Sorry that this post is late.  Come this time of year, my online time is much reduced and special family time becomes the priority.  :-)

I truly cannot believe that another week has come and gone, but it was a good one and I am grateful.

If there were two prevailing themes this week, they would be snow and Advent.  We have gotten snow three times already and have been decorating, baking and preparing for Christmas.

(putting out the manger scene)

Our special focus on Advent continued with our Jesse Tree ornaments (chronicles the genealogy of Jesus) and reading special stories.  Sometimes the kiddos like to do the reading. (or mom coerces them to, lol)

There was also preparing for Kiddo #3's birthday.  His sister baked him a chocolate fudge cake in an elephant pan.  For those of you who don't know him, he just LOVES elephants.  :-)

His special wish was to spend his birthday at the zoo.  It was 25 degrees, but we bundled up, braved the elements and had much fun. (thank goodness to indoor places to visit to warm up!)

Yes, there was still reading, Algebra and other subjects being done (not too much fun photographing kids doing their math, lol), but there is definitely a different spirit in the air- one of anticipation, preparation and joy and we are trying to enjoy every moment.

Posts this week:

Advent and Christmas Giveaway

A Photo a Day- Taking Pictures in all Different Settings

Homemade Coffee Cake (delicious and super easy in the microwave!!)

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Happy Birthday Kiddo #3

What we are looking forward to this coming week:

Advent prayer service at church on Tuesday

Finishing up schoolwork for 2013

More baking, reading and Advent fun

Linking up today with:  Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weekly Wrap-Up, Show-Off Friday, Learn and Link and It's a Wrap, Friendship Friday and Friday Connection and Family Fun Friday and T.G.I.F. Linky Party and Let's Homeschool High School and This Week

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Happy Birthday, Kiddo #3

Yesterday was Kiddo #3's birthday.  Kiddo turned 12.  He entered the world at a whopping 10 1/2 pounds (he was my second largest.  Yes, I had one even bigger!) and he has been making us smile ever since.

My animal lover decided to visit the zoo, so we braved the cold (and boy was it cold!) to go.  It was a fun outing.  We had the place practically to ourselves and of course, we got to see the polar bears and penguins just loving life.  :-)

(we found lots of indoor places to warm up like the ones above in the new Kids Zoo U)

(she even roared three times at the birthday boy!)

(you just have to love a heated restaurant!)

(the otters loved following Kiddo 3 and 4's hands)

(a new version of 'The Thinker?')

(playing hide and seek in the 'Treehouse.'  Did I mention how much fun it was to be one of only 5 or 6 families in the whole zoo?)  :-)

Being sung to by family after a nice dinner.  These family members hadn't seen Kiddo #4 since her birthday 2 weeks ago, so they both got sung to!  :-)

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Try a New Recipe Tuesday- December 10

So sorry this is late going live.  It has been a busy, yet good Advent season here.

This week, I am sharing our Homemade Coffee Cake.  It is absolutely delicious, yet completely easy to make.  You can find it linked in the first spot below.  My kids, who have made it several times, would love for you to come take a look.  :-)

Here are this week's features:

Christmas Reindeer Biscuits from Claire Justine

Peppermint Bark from Kingdom Academy Homeschool

Spicy Cuban Pork Loin from Cooking the Recipe

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Homemade Coffee Cake

One of the recipes that my children made with their 4H cooking class was Coffee Cake.  Kiddo #1 made it for us at home and it was absolutely delicious!  :-)

Coffee Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla

topping-
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

Place flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl.  Carefully stir mixture with a spoon.  Be sure to work out all of the lumps.  Add egg, milk, oil and vanilla.  Stir until well blended. Pour batter into a microwave safe glass cake dish.

Melt butter or margarine in a small bowl, then add brown sugar, flour and cinnamon for topping.

 Stir with spoon until all the lumps are removed. Sprinkle topping over cake batter.

Microwave on medium (50%) for 7-8 minutes.  If your microwave doesn't rotate, rotate dish one-quarter turn every two minutes.  Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake.  If toothpick is clean, cake is done.  If toothpick is not clean, continue microwaving on medium for 2 minutes.  Check for doneness and repeat cook/check cycle until done.

Enjoy!  :-)

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Linking up with the Gathering Spot, Kids in the Kitchen, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Mighty Arrows,Addicted to Recipes, Homemaking Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesday,NOBH, Judy H-J's Thoughts, Wisdom Wednesday , Favorite Things, Modest Mom, Full Plate Thursday and Melt in your Mouth Monday and Show Off Friday and Tuesday's Table and Look What We Did and Titus 2sday,  Mom's Monday Mingle, Monday Mingle, Crafty Spices, Better Mom,Create with Joy, Thursday's Treasures, Tasty Thursdays and Wonderful Food Wednesday and Mondays with Countrified Hicks and Tuesday How to Party and the Tried and True Recipe Party and Kids and Mom in the Kitchen and Family Fun Friday and Clever Chicks Blog Hop andAll My Bloggy Friends and Hearts for Home Blog Hop and Foodie Friends Friday and Family Fun Friday and TGIF Linky Party and Food on Friday andHip Homeschool Moms, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home andGood Tastes Tuesday and Thriving Thursday and Friday Flash Blog Hop 


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A Photo a Day- Taking Pictures in all Different Settings

I am happy to be participating in Ellen's "Oh Snap!  Learning my DSLR Camera"series.  There have been so many informative and fun posts so far.

My topic is “A Photo A Day- Taking Pictures in different settings.”  We are a homeschooling family, so there are plenty of opportunities every day for fun and challenging photography.  For those of you that do not know me, my camera is ALWAYS with me.  I took my children to the library today and took pictures.  There are always photos waiting to be taken—sometimes not posed or planned, but very special nonetheless.  I try to take at least a photo every day.  Wonderful memories are waiting to be remembered.

To read more of my post, please click here to get to Ellen's blog.  Hope you enjoy it!  :-)

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