First Day of School

I can’t believe I’m here – on August 14th - with everyone is school!  We survived!

Kai had two activities – a summer STEM camp at KSB and BELL Academy.
Alex went to ESY (summer school) at Churchill Park.
Joy and Bella went to three camps – Camp Rauch, Vacation Bible School, and Derby Dinner Musical Theater Camp.
Liz went to Alaska on a cruise with my parents, to EFY, and to Youth Conference in Nauvoo.
Jes went to Japan and was able to find a job here in town that she can continue once she goes back to EKU.
All the girls and Dad went to Houston for a week to my parent’s Lake House.

I had detailed lists and calendars.  I prayed a lot.  Summer with my specific population is tricky.  Routines rule and Mama can’t be a teacher, 2 aides, janitor, nutrition staff, and various therapists.  There is a reason school is so awesome – there is a team of highly qualified individuals working with my babies and giving each other breaks. 

Anyway, I read and pondered this scripture every morning to get me through:

D&C 68:6
Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear;
 for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you;

I am grateful I had that to ponder each morning and remind myself that I’m not alone and He and I are in this together.

So here I am on the other side of summer, grateful.  Grateful that Alex got into summer school last minute.  Grateful that Kai got into STEM camp last minute.  Grateful that Musical Theater Camp had an employee from Down Syndrome of Louisville at their camp to make it accessible and successful for the girls. Grateful we made it.  Grateful all of our surgeries went well.  Grateful that we have good doctors who look after my kids.

First Day pictures:

Boys:

Girls:

Mama’s first day of school activities:

Joy brought this home:

Yay for school!!!

Shrimp and Green Beans

1 pound shrimp
2 cans green beans - French
1 onion and 2 cloves garlic, some ginger
1 cup chicken broth

Saute onion, garlic, and giner.
Add shrimp and cook until pink.
Add green beans and broth.
Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Thicken with cornstarch.
Serve with rice.

Individual Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp

My favorite salad Mama served at the bakery!

1 cup cooked angel hair pasta
1/4 cup diced onions, clove garlic chopped browned and cooled
1/2 avocado sliced
1//4 cup toasted sliced almonds
2 chopped green onions
4-5 cooked shrimp

Mix together pasta, onions/garlic mixure, green onion and avocado.  Mix with Italian dressing.  Place shrimp on salad and then sprinkle almonds on top.

Hearty Pasta Casserole

16 oz penne pasta
12 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 T oil
2 shallots, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound of ground beef
14.5 can of stewed tomato, undrained
8 oz of tomato sauce
2 t of dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided


Cooke pasta. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  add shallots and garlic, saute for 2 minutes.  add mushrooms and beef.  Cook until beef in browned.  Stir in tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, basil and cream.  Simmer for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add cooked pasta to saucepan.  Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan; mix well.  Spoon mixture into greased casserole dish and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and then bake for about 15 minutes (covered). Uncover, backe until cheese is melted about 10 minutes.

Korean Spinach Salad

Dressing
2/3 cup oil
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Combine in a jar, Shake to mix, Chill for 2 hours. (I don't)
Salad
11/2 pounds fresh Spinach (one bag)
5 slices bacon
8 ounces bean sprouts
1 can (8oz) water chestnuts, drained and sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large eggs, hard boiled and sliced

Optional Additions:
Cooked chicken, almonds, blue cheese, goat cheese

For the salad, wash the spinach well.  Trim, discard tough stems.  Tear leaves into bite sized pieces.  Cook bacon until crisp; crumble.  Combine spinach, bean sprouts and water chestnuts in a large bowl and toss to mix.  Sprinkle with crumbed bacon.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to mix well. Season with salt and black pepper.  Slice the eggs and arrange on top of the salad.

Roasted Carrots

Package of carrots
olive oil
dried herb - basil, dill, or rosemary

Preheat to 375.  Peel carrots and slice into long, thin strips.
Place in gallon bag.  Add just enough oil to coat carrots and add a couple taspoons of heb to bag.
Close bag and shake.
Place on cookie sheet ina single layer
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Oyster Stuffing

Cooked cornbread, crumbled
1 large onion
1 bunch of green onions
2 cloves minced garlic
4 stalks chopped celery
1 loaf French bread, dried out a little
1 pint oysters (reserve juice), chopped fine
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Combine.  Stuffing should be moist before cooking.  Season to taste.  Place in large baking dish and bake at 350 for one hour

Funeral Potatoes

10 potatoes - peeled and grated  (NOT FROZEN)
1 can chicken of chicken soup
1/2 stick butter
1/2 pint sour cream
1/4 cup green onions
1 cup grated cheese
2 cups corn flakes

Combine all ingredients into a large casserole dish.
Melt butter and coat corn flakes
Top casserole with cereal.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350

Ham and Cabbage Soup

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces of cubed cooked ham
1/2 cup shredded green cabbage
2 cups sliced carrots
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon caraway seed and pepper
2 cups water
2 packets instant beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water

In a large pot, heat butter until bubbly and hot; add onion and garlic and saute.  Add ham and mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes.  Add cabbage, carrots, bay leaf, caraway seed and pepper and continue sauteing for 5 minutes.  Stir in water and broth mix; bring to a boil  Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.  Stir in dissolved cornstarch and let simmer, uncovered until mixture thickens about 5 minutes.  Remove bay leaf before service.

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

1/2 cup wild rice
5 cups chicken broth
4 tablespoon butter
1 large carrot, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
\2 stalks celery stalks, chopped
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped chicken

Combine 2 1/2 cups chicken broth and wild rice in saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered until rice is tender. about 1 hour.  Drain and set aside.  Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Add carrot, cook and stir for 3 minutes.  Add chopped onion, chopped celery and sliced mushrooms cook and stir until vegetables are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in flour, salt and white pepper until smooth. 
Gradually stir in remaining 2 1.2 cups chicken broth.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir until thickened, about 1 minute.  Stir in chicken.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered until soup is heated through, about 3 minutes.  Spoon 1/4 cup cooked wild rice into each serving bowl.  ladle soup over rice.

French crepes

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
4 TBSP melted butter
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup water

Blend all ingredients except the melted butter until smooth.  Add the butter, and set in fridge for about 30 minutes to set up.

Grandma Southwick's Pancake Recipe

2 cup flour
2 cup milk
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP sugar
4 tsp oil

Beat the egg white until stiff then set aside.
Mix the milk, flour, egg yolks, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl until smooth.
Stir in the oil  Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter carefully until just blended. 
Pour spoonfuls of the batter onto a hot griddle.

Blueberry Muffins

These are my Dad's favorites.

1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries

Beat egg, add milk and oil and mix well.
Mix in other ingredients. (except berries)
Mis just until moistened. Fold in berries.
Fill greased muffins cups 2/3 full.
Bake 20-25 minutes at 400.

Hearty Chicken Stroganoff

8 ounces wide noodles
6 tablespoons flour, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 to 1  1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins
4 tablespoons butter, divided
6 medium mushrooms, cut into quarters
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ketchup

1. Cook the noodles, drain, cover to keep warm
2. Mix 4 T flour with the salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well.  Add the chicken and toss to coat.
3. Heat 2 T butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted.  Cook chicken in the butter.  Stir in mushrooms and onion.  Cook for 4 minutes.  Remove chicken and veggies with a slotted spoon. Reserve juices.
4. Add remaining flour and butter and the dry mustard to reserved pan juices and mix well.  Gradually stir in broth.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Stir in sour cream and ketchup.
5. Return chicken and vegetables to the skillet. Cook, until heated through.  do not boil

Herbed Skillet Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of water, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon oil

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chicken and cook 10 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once.  Combine thyme, garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper; sprinkle over chiken.  Remove chicken, keeping warm and add 1/2 cup water to the skillet, using a wire whisk to scrape the pan and get up all the browned bits.  Bring water to a  oil, add chicken back in; cover, reduce heat and cook 10-20 minutes depending on thickness of chicken, until chicken is done. Remove chicken from skillet.  Combine cornstarch and remaining 1 tablespoon water.  Add to pan juices; cook until thickened and translucent, stirring or whisking constantly.  Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Corn Bread

(Mama's prize winning recipe)

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil

Sift together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into bowl.
Add egg, milk and oil. Mix thoroughly.
Bake in greased 8 inch square baking pan in preheated over 425 for 20/25 minutes.

Amish White Bread

1 cup warm water
1/3 cup white sugar
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
3 cups bread flour

Knead.  Let rise one hour.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.  Brush top with butter.

Pastry

A family favorite for breakfast - often requested for birthdays.  I make two for the whole family.

1 3 ounce package cream cheese
1/4 cup margarine or butter
2 cups packaged biscuit mix
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup jelly

Cut cream cheese and margarine into biscuit mix till crumbly.  Add milk, stir till mixed.  One lightly floured surface, knead dough 10 to 12 strokes. One waxed paper, roll dough into a 12 x 8 rectangle.  Place onto baking sheet.  Place jelly down the center of dough.  Make cuts toward the center at 1 to 2 inch intervals.  Fold strips alternately over filling. Bake in 375 oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till golden.  Drizzle with Powdered Sugar Glaze.  Serve warm.

Powdered Sugar Glaze

In a bowl, stir together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and enough milk to make a drizzling consistency (1 to 2 teaspoons).

Pumpkin Pie

1 can of pumpkin
1 can of condensed milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of salt

crust

Whisk together ingredients.  Pour into crust.
Bake for 15 minutes at 425 and then
bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 till knife comes out clean.

Cheeseball

2 packages of cream cheese (softened)
3 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
1 pack of ranch dressing
2 cups of pecans, chopped

Mix the first three ingredients
Shape into a ball.
Roll in pecans.
Refrigerate at least two hours

Green Bean Casserole

1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 dash pepper
4 cups green beans
1 1/3 cup fried onions

Mix all together, reserving 2/3 cup onions.
bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Stir, Add the remaining onions to the top.
Bake 5 minutes

Cranberry Sauce

12 ounce cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup cranberry/raspberry juice (my FAV juice)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cook first three ingredients for 10-15 minutes.
Add lemon juice after off heat.
Refrigerate.