Sushi

Sushi!!

The first time I attmpted this was with a room of 2-year olds. It was so much fun watching them taste (and spit across the table) the ingredients before we rolled it.  Amazingly, they all tried it again once it was asssemble, and even more amazing - they ALL liked it!

(I still remember hearing the parents' comments:  "You got my child to eat WHAT?", and "He won't eat rice at home for us", etc.)

I stuck with fillings I knew they loved: carrots, cucumber, and tomato.

Still, I find myself shocked that my four children love this same sushi.  I have never gotten really creative with fillings, although they loved the imitation crab meat in there, and we do keep ginger and wasabi on hand to compliment the rolls.



Find other real food appetizer recipes at Whole Foods for the Holidays: A Real Food Progressive Dinner, hosted by Kitchen Stewardship this week.

Pea Soup

This post is part of a real foods for the holidays progressive dinner link up! Click through to GNOWFGLINS for more information.


I was suprised at how well my family ate this the first time I made it.  I am usually the only one eating peas around here, although the two babies seem to enjoy a few as well.  The soup, on the other hand, was devoured by all!

Ingredients:
  dried green split peas
  diced ham and/or ham bone
  sliced carrots
  chopped onion
  2 ribs celery plus leaves, chopped
  2 cloves garlic, minced
  1 bay leaf
  1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  salt and pepper to taste
  6 cups chicken broth

Method
  Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given, adding the broth last.
  Do not stir ingredients.
  Cover and cook on high 4—5 hours or on low 8—10 hours until peas are very soft.
  Some of my family prefer it to be pureed in the blender before I serve it.

The best part is that other than the ham/ham bone, it is all ingredients we normally have in the house.  This makes it a perfect recipe for using and stretching that left-over ham from Thanksgiving!

Welcome Back

I can't really say that I "took the summer off", but I am thankful!  We had a busy summer, but enjoyed it thouroughly!  Now that we seem to be into a more scheduled routine, I hope to get back to adding some posts. 

The highlights ....

... spening time with friends and family

... Seed decided she was ready to stand up and start chasing the boys!
                                              (wrong way, girl!)



Sprout (lazy me, just pictures!)

I was looking through some of Sprout's latest photo's today ...

Do you think I never wash his face? LOL

Join Us!

We are looking for participants for our Summer Photography Challenge - the challenge is to be purposely taking more pictures, not challenging against each other for better pictures.

We are starting off with a game of "I Spy" ... I'd love to keep this going, but need participants!

Check it out, follow the buton on the right hand of this blog.

Speedy's Story

Speedy usually isn't very talkative on Sundays when he is released from Sunday School.  If I ask about his class, I usually get an "I don't know" or, "I'll tell you later."  Either way, I do get to hear about it later.  In great detail. 

This week, when I asked about the picture he made, I got the "I'll tell you later". 

When Maverick asked what they did, Speedy told him they learned about Jesus being born.  Maverick thought June was a weird time to learn about Christmas. Speedy then elaborated. "God is love because he gave Jesus to be born to save us." OK.  That made a little more sense.

It wasn't until Monday night over dinner that Speedy finally unpacked the story about his picture.  And a story it was ...

"One day, Jesus came to visit me at my house.  We did a couple games, then a couple puzzles and books.  Then we went outside and played soccer.

Then me and Jesus builded a big church - a huge church.  All the children in the world went inside the church and Jesus told them about him and God.

And then God made a big, huge field - bigger than lots of soccer fields - and all the children had a team.  God's team.  They broke into a thousand and ten teams.  Yeah, but God did not let Satan's people play.

Their mom's and dad's and grandma's and grandpa's came to watch them play, and to watch Jesus play.

Then they ate supper.  Jesus took the bread, broke it in half, and gave it to all the children. He said, "Eat this; it is my body."  Then he took wine, and said "drink this, this is my blood I'll give to you".  And they all prayed, ate the bread, prayed again, and drank the wine.  Then Jesus got food out - perogies with his body, and juicy sausages with his blood.  That is what he gave them.

After they ate, they had a meeting, and talked.  They talked about fighting Satan and the devil.  Then they went out and did it!  But it wasn't real fighting.  They said God's word, and they prayed.  And guess what?  Satan did not bother ANYONE! and it was the happiest world ever!

THE END

This is the story from Speedy's picture,
and this is the story that he wrote."

Wow!  My hand was sore, and the writing was very messy to keep up with him, but there it is!

p.s.  I checked with his ss.teacher, and they did do the Christmas Story in June - but with a twist!