Fhe - F.T.S.O.Y - LANGUAGE

For FHE we are currently going through the FOR the Strength of Youth books... Today we are learning about Language... Found this great site on Pinterest - which has the perfect lesson idea.  I thought I would share it here.
http://preparednotscared.blogspot.com/2010/06/for-strength-of-youth-family-home.html

I particularly love the idea of the SWEAR jar and its punishments...LOL.  I am going to have everyone sign the "Words we treasure" Contract.  Will post later about how it goes.

Tips of the week found on Pinterest....

did you know that if you put a wooden spoon over a pot of boiling water, it won't boil over?

 It really does work.... no more messes on my stove top!!! Fantastic!!!

#2  Heat vinegar and pour over paint brushes to clean just like NEW - Im forever finding hardened brushes, so this one could save me some real money!!! :)

Spiced Pear Muffins

Last week I got a great deal on a fruit box delivered from Tauranga...now I have so many pears that need to be used so we are making this YUMMY looking recipe.....                           

Spiced Pear Muffins
Makes 12 muffins 1/2 cup (4 oz) packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (2oz) white sugar
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (5 oz) all-purpose flour
1 cup (5 oz) whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) milk
2 to 2 1/2 cups pears, unpeeled and diced small (2 medium-sized pears, about 11 oz whole)
Cinnamon-and-Sugar for sprinkling on top
Optional: 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Heat your oven to 425°F. Spray the top of your muffin tin with non-stick coating and place muffin cups in all the wells.
In a mixer on high speed, cream together the sugars and the softened butter until they resemble fluffy frosting, about 1 minute. Mix in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, about 1 minute each. Mix in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, mix 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture followed by 1/3 of the milk. Continue alternating between the flour and the milk, mixing just until the flour is incorporated. It's ok if there is still some flour on the sides of the bowl. Do not over-mix.
Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and stir gently to incorporate the last of the flour. Add the diced pears all at once and fold them into the batter.
Divide the batter between the muffin cups. The batter will fill the cups and mound slightly on top. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon and sugar.
Place the muffin tin in the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 400°F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan once in the middle of baking. The muffins are done with the tops looked cracked and toasted, and when a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool enough to handle, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Leftover muffins can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or frozen for up to three months. (Reheat frozen muffins in an oven or toaster oven at 300° or for a few minutes in the microwave)

                                                 

Cute hot and cold rice packs!!

So yes I'm still on track to complete my 5 things for this week, just had to get the camera battery charged.  First up I decided to try making some novelty Rice packs for the kids after finding  this cute link for owl rice packs on Pinterest.   My first attempts are not the most attractive as I just used scraps to make them...now that I know they work, I will get some REAL supplies for them =P        They are simply made by cutting a desired shape out of cotton fabric for the front and for a little extra comfort factor I had some packs of new facecloths that I cut out for the back.   I sewed up the shape (owl) leaving an opening at the base....(this makes the cover)  Then for the inside I simply made a square rice pack to insert. I think I might add velcro to the bottom to close the base when the insert is added.    To use I just place in the freezer so we always have an ice pack on hand for injuries or  if I want it heated simply toss it in the microwave for 2mins. Ive made mine with the cover part just so that it can be washed  and it means I can decorate them with things that might not like the microwave heat.     Remember the pics show my first attempt..... not the best but a good trial non the less..... and now Im off to make some proper ones..LOL

Three Quarter hour pudding

Okay so this isn't something I have found on Pinterest but it is something new for me to try. When I was a child we had the missionaries in our home almost every day, and often we would have some popping in just to request this pudding..... not quite sure why it popped into my head tonight, but after a gorgeous Sunday Roast dinner I can't think of anything better than the gooey deliciousness of this pudding to top it all off.  So here goes...my first attempt..... will post pics if it works out...LOL

Three-Quarter Hour Pudding (Edmonds Cookbook)
1 cup Standard Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tblsp sugar
1 Tblsp butter
milk to mix (about 2/3 cup)

Syrup
2 Tblsps sugar
1 Tblsp golden syrup or honey
1 cup boiling water

Grease a 3-4 cup capacity steam pudding basin or heatproof bowl. Sift flour, bp and salt. Stir in sugar. Rub in butter. Add sufficient milk to mix to a soft dough. Transfer to prepared basin. Pour over syrup. To make syrup, dissolve sugar and golden syrup in the water. Do not cover the basin. Stand in a saucepan of boiling water (water to come halfway up sides of basin). Put lid on saucepan and steam for 45 minutes or until pudding is firm to touch. Serves 3 to 4.

This was Sis Aiono's favourite dessert when she was here on her mission, I used to double the mixture.

 

 okay so I have added a pic of the final product - (only one serve is shown..lol)  Soooo delicious and way simpler than I thought it would be.  I usually resort to the good ol microwave chocolate pudding when we want a nice warm pudding..... but I think I will be changing it up a little more often... Just as good as I remember it to be.  (turns out that this recipe isn't even in the current Edmonds cookbook... had to get the recipe from my Mum's older version)  

oh and I doubled the sponge recipe, but only did a single recipe for the sauce...just as well too, would have been waaaaay too much sauce if I had doubled that too!

Rain chalkpaintings -

Don't you just love the chalk pictures in the Mary Poppins Movie ?     I know I sure do...especially the way they magically come to life...just a quick hop, skip and jump and your on your way thru your own magic fantasy land made of chalk. 

Well today is a typical CRAZY spring day in Auckland... yes its true you can have 4 seasons in one day.  Today we have been hot and cold, wet and dry...perfect day to try chalk pictures.  

The girls have loved the texture of the chalk once it mixes with the rain....opening up cool new creative possibilities.  Hannah especially has enjoyed the feel of the chalk squeezing through her fingers...LOL 

They came running in so excited that the chalk had created its own colourful waterfall after a burst of rain....colours blending and streaking all the way down our driveway! 

Fuzzy Pen Pals

A couple of weeks ago I found a link on Pinterest for frustration pencils. Cute pencils with fur on the top...when you spin them...their hair flies into cool new styles.  I remember having them is a child.... and LOVED them.  I decided I needed to make some for my kids...but do you think I could find any long fur ANYWHERE..NO.  So we have made some with feathered string and I think they are waaaay cuter than the ones Ive seen on other links...(ha!) We call them Fuzzy pen pals...because that's just what they are...cute and fuzzy.