Earthly Eating

This treats are so fun to make, that your kids will love the fact that they will be able to eat something they helped make. And what they don’t know is all of these treats are good for them too.

1. Ants and the logs:

• Ants On A Log: Clery pieces (any desired length), top celery with peanut butter and add on a few raisins.

• Ants On A Slippery Log: Mix peanut butter with apple butter, fill celery pieces with the filling and top with grated carrots and raisins.

• Ants On A Cement Log: Take cream cheese and fill celery pieces, top with chunks of apple or other fruits. Dried, crushed bananas work great.

• Ants On A Colored Cement Log: Mix the cream cheese with a few drops of vanilla extract (pure) and fill the celery pieces, then top with granola.

• Ants On An Island: Mix a few drops of Worcestershire sauce with cream cheese and fill celery pieces. Top the filling with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.

• Then have fun with your kids while they try to find more combos to add to the ant farm of celery foods.

2. Candy fake out:

1 package of dried apricots
1 1/2 cups grated coconut
2 tablespoons honey

Chop the apricots in a food processor and mix with 1 cup of coconut and the honey. Form into balls and roll in remaining coconut. Then refrigerate.

3. Dating Penguins:

Slice dates open vertically and stuff with cream cheese. Use a sliver of carrots fro the beak and little pieces of date for the eyes or even use raisins.

4. Veggie roll:

Start by wrapping a whole-wheat tortilla in a paper towel and microwaving it for 15 seconds. Spread with cream cheese, or sprinkle grates cheese all over it. Add shredded carrot, lettuce leaves, celery, leftover vegetables, etc. And roll it up. You can pop it in the microwave for an additional 15 seconds if you want it to be a heated veggie roll.

5. Smooth freezing:

Pour smoothie mix into 3-ounce paper cups, cover with plastic wrap and insert a wooden stick. Freeze for at least 8 hours before cutting or tearing the paper cup away from the frozen delight.

6. Clear it away trail mixer:

Throw open the cupboards and toss together cereal, crackers, chocloate chips, nuts, popcorn, etc. Anything goes and everything will go.

7. Crayon colored smoothies:

2 cups ice
1 cup yogurt
some fruits (such as a couple bananas, or strawberries or even a can of fruit packed in its own juice will work)
1 cup liquid (like milk or juice or even flavored water)

Put all the ingreidents into a blender and mix on high for 1 minute. Serves 4

**Are you itching to sew something but don’t know where to start. Summer Minor over at Creative Mom Cafe has just the solution for you. She has a list of things to start sewing from another web link. Read what the list is and how you can get started sewing today.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Rosy Pickled Turnips
Serves: Makes 4 pints

1 beet (3 inches in diameter) or a small can of beets
3 1/2 cups hot water
7 tbs. picking salt
1 1/4 cup white vinegar
4 turnips about 3 inches in diameter
8 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved

Cook the washed, unpeeled beet in 2 inches of water in a small saucepan for 20 minutes. Cool, peel and cut into 1 inch pieces. Set aside. Dissolve salt in hot water, then stir in vinegar. Peel turnips and cut into 1 inch pieces. Place turnips, beet and garlic in clean, 1 pint canning jars, and cover with salt water. Screw on clean canning lids. Kept at room temperature, these pickled turnips are ready to eat in 3 days.

Turnip Apple Slaw
Serves: 4

1 tbs. plain yogurt or kefir
2 tbs. soy or regular mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. freshly grated black pepper
1 tsp. honey
1 apple, quartered, cored and thinly sliced (use your grater’s flat blade)
2 turnips (3 inches in diameter), peeled and coarsley grated
1 scallion, finely chopped

Combine the yogurt, mayo, pepper and honey in a alrge bowl. Mix in the apple, turnips, and scallion. Chill before serving as a side dish or slathering onto burgers or sandwiches.

Happy Eating!

• Include kids in the lunch prep: Kids are more likely to eat something if they helped make it. Kids as young as age three can help even at the grocery store and help pick out fruits and vegetables.

• Limit choices: Don’t just ask you child what they want for lunch, give them two ot three options to choose from. Stock your pantry with healthy choices so that your child will have these choices to choose from as well.

• Utilize hungry moments: Use these moments to introduce new foods to your child. And give them to your child along with familiar foods so they can get used to them at their own pace.

• Educate them: Let your child know what each foods benefit is, such as calcium for healthy bones and carrots for healthy eyes.

• Looking and feeling good: Kids love things cut into shapes and cute containers and dipping foods as well. Things have to look and smell fresh. A tip: apples slices won’t turn brown if you toss them in a little lemon juice before packing them.

**January 2nd episode of Criminal Minds will be a rerun to start the new year with. Over at Watching Criminal Minds blog here at 451 Press, Katie Mientka has the details on that episode and the some tidbits for the upcoming broadcasts. Read it here.**

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Earthly Eating Recipe

Chocolate, Cranberry and Oatmeal Bars
Serves: 32

1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
4 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine cranberries and orange juice in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30 seconds. Let stand 10 minutes.

Combine flour, oats, baking powder and salt; set aside. Beat margarine and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in cranberry mixture, chocolate and pecans.

Spread dough into a 13×9 inch baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting to serve.

Happy Eating!

Ham & Cheese Wheels
Serves: 4

4 8-inch whole wheat flour tortillas
1/2 cup light cream cheese, softened
1 large carrot, shredded (about 1 cup) or 1 cup pre-shredded carrots
1/2 cup pre-shredded redsuced-fat cheddar cheese
6 oz. thinly sliced lean deli ham

1. Spread the cream cheese evenly over each of the tortillas.
2. Layer each tortilla with carrots, cheese, and ham.
3. Roll up tightly and slice into 3/4 inch rounds. Serve with your choise of dipping sauce. Don’t have any dipping sauce ideas try this one.
Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup honey mustard
1/3 cup barnecue sauce
1/4 cup hummus

Better B.L.T.s
Serves: 4

1/2 lb. nitrite-free bacon ( 8 to 10 slices)
4 tsp. light mayonnaise
8 slices whole wheat bread
8 leaves of romaine lettuce, washed and dried
4 thin slices of organic tomatoes

1. Cook the bacon according to the package instructions until they are crisy. Pat with a paper towel to remove excess fat.
2. To make the sandwiches, spread 1 tsp. mayonnaise on the bread.
3. Layer even;y with 1 lettuce leaf. Slice, wrap in plastic wrap to keep them fresh or slice and serve.

Easy Pasta Salad
Serves: 8-10

1 lb. dried dried bowtie pasta
4-5 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half (2 cups)
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and quartered (optional)
6-8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped or 1 can (6 oz.) small black olives, drained
1/3-1/2 cup light Italian or Caesar salad dressing
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro, optional

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Four minutes before the pasta is done cooking, add the broccoli. Bring back to a boil and cook until the pasta is done completely. Drain and place in a large bowl.
2. While the pasta is still warm, add the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, cheese, olives, salad dressing, and herbs as desired and stir to combine. Serve warm or chill for a cold pasta salad dish.

Taco Chili
Serves: 6

1 tbs. olive oil
2 large carrots, finely diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup) or 1 cup frozen chopped onion
1 lb. lean ground beef 90% or higher or turkey
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) blackeye peas or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) yellow or white hominy, drained and rinsed
1 cup water
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chili peppers, optional
2-3 tsp. chili powder
2-3 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup pre-shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the carrots, onion and beed and cook, breaking up the large pieces, until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, hominy, water, chili peppers as desired, chili powder, cumin, and garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the carrots are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Serve in individual bowls and top with shredded cheese.

**JW over at 1P Start has visitors to his page that are still running Windows 98 and he has quite a funny story behind what he thinks about it. Read it here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Chicken Wraps That Please
Serves: 4

1 tbs. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1 cup chicken stock
2 tomatoes, diced
salt and pepper to taste
4 small bread rolls

In a medium fry pan, heat oil over low heat and add onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add chicken and raise heat to medium-high. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Add garlic, spices and chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes and cook until softened, 7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cut off one end of each loaf of bread. Fill the bread with chicken mixture and serve.

Happy Eating!

1. The Chef’s Knife: A 8-to10-inch chef’s knife is a must in any kitchen. It works for everything from cruching garlic with the side of the blade, to chopping spinach. The large blade provides plenty of surface area for dicing potatoes or a bunch of herbs, plus plenty of sharpness and stength to tackle hard-to-slice items such as a head of ice berg lettuce. If you have smnall hands or don’t feel comfortable wielding a big knife, try a 6-inch or a santoku-style knife. Look for a high-carbon stainless steel is the material of choice for a chef’s knife. It really is the best of both worlds. High -crabon stainless knives are rust-resistant but still hold their sharpness.

2. The Pairing Knife: With its 3 1/2 to 4-inch blade, this petitie kitchen wonder can slice, dice, mince, and peel-although you will probably want to use a chef’s knife for big choppoing jobs like stir-fries and grain salads. Look for a stainless steel model with a smooth blade. Avoid cheap pseudo-serrated knives, but do look for bargans. Because of their size, paring knives can get lost in a pile of peels and accidentally thrown out.

3. The Serrated Knife: Alternate called a bread, carving, deli, or utility knife, this model is defined by its toothly blade that does just as well sawing through a crusty loaf of bread as it does slicing delicate tomatoes and citrus without crushing the insides. Look for 6-to-7-inch blade ones. You don’t need a 10-inch carving knife. The other provides plenty of slicing surface and is much easier to store in your kitchen chopping block.

**Do you love vintage anything? Over at Bead Arts Cindy Lavin has a bracelet that you would just love. It’s a vintage button bracelet and it’s as easy to make as sewing on a button. Read how to make the bracelet here.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe- Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets-20

Rabanadas
Serves: 4

1 cup milk
1 tbs. sugar
1/2 baguette of French bread, sliced into 2-inch thick pieces
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (to taste)

Measure the milk and sugar. Mix together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat the eggs in another medium bowl. Set aside. Wash your hands every time you handle eggs.

Measue the confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon. Mix together in a third bowl. Set aside.

Dip each slice of bread into the milk mixture, soaking each side competely.

Use a spatula or tongs to dip both sides of the soaked bread into the eggs.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil on a medium-high setting. Fry the bread until browned on each side.

Once bread is fried, use a fork or clean tongs to dip each piece int the bowl of confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon to coat. And serve.

Happy Eating!

A lot of fantastic memories are made right in your own kitchen with your children, grandchildren. Here are a few ways to get yout kids invilved in the preparation of some recipes.

• When dusting the top of cookies or cakes with powdered sugar, let your kids use a metal strainer or sifter to dust confectioners’ sugar on the tops.

• When pulsing some dried fruits or flour mixtures in the food processor, let your children be the ones to press the pulse buttons.

• When adding sugar or flour, cups or 1/2 cups at a time to a recipe, let your children be the flour or sugar adders.

• Using decorator’s sugar on anything is where kids can get involved and it’s a great task at the end to have the help gather the sheets of parchment with the sugar on it and add it to a bowl as well.

• Kids can also get involved by adding a sugar glaze to some cookies or cakes after they cool.

• Now-a-days there are so many choices for kids smaller version kitchens and pots and pans to get them involved in what mom, dad and grandma are doing in the kitchen. There are several on the market, but the best ones are ones that are made of solid wood, not plastic. Solid wood kitchens will be able to get passed down from generation to generation. Nothing is more pleasing then seeing your children’s children playing with the same play kitchen you played with as a child. Here are some that are great for that childhood imagination. All of the following kitchens can be found at Pottery Barn Kids.

**Looking for a gift for that auto enthusiasts that’s less than $25? Over at Automotive Blogger, M. Mayder has a suggestion for you. Click here to find out what it is. And even if you don’t need a gift for someone else, why not buy it for yourself. Your car will be greatful.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe- Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets

Chocolaty Coconut Mini Tortes
Serves: Makes 2 dozen

8 oz. Semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 cup shresses, unsweetened coconut
5 large eggs, beaten
Confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Lightly oil or coat 24 mini muffin cups with nostick cooking spray and set aside.

3. Stir the chocolate chips and canola oil in a medium saucepan over low heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and coconut. Whisk in the eggs until well blended.

5. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.

6. Bake about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5 minuts. Remove the tortes and cool.

8. Dust tops with confectioners’ sugar.

Happy Eating!

Cookie swaps bring many people together, start traditions, and create strong friendships that last a lifetime. Men, women, children, families, churches, neighborhoods, etc. It is a great way to sample other baker’s cookies, as well as get to know people that share the same passion as you. But, no matter where you live, the bottom line is, you can start the same tradition. Here’s how:

• Ask each guest to bring at least six dozen of their favorite holiday cookies, along with copies of the recipe to share with everyone at the party and a few empty containers to carry home other cookies at the party as well.

• Have a large table cleared so that you can display all the special treats that arrive from the other guests. This is where decorating the table comes into play. If it is close to Christmas, incorporate that theme into your table decorations. If it is a more laid-back swap then, whatever the season is, say summer, use sunshine themed dish-ware. Or if it is cold outside, use snowflakes and tea pots to serve tea, to name a few ideas.

• Break out your calculator and figure out how manu of each type of cookie everyone gets to take home for themselves. (72 divided by how many guests have arrived and brought cookies). Each guest still goes home with six dozen cookies, this time in many different varieties of flavors, shapes and colors.

• Incorporate this idea with a kids birthday party or just a Christmas “kiddie” party, and so on. Kids love to make messes and what better way to have them make a mess than with cookies.

**The United States Botanical Gardens Christmas Display at Washington, DC that Kjersti Wasiak attended looks to be amazing. Click here to see the photos she took while viewing the display.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe - Count-Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets:

Gluten-Free Peppermint Meringue Snowballs
Serves: Makes 3 dozen

4 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract, optional (use imitation peppermint oil so that the meringues won’t deflate.)
1/4 cup finely crushed gluten-free candy canes or peppermint candy

1. Prehat oven to 200°F degrees.

2. Line two large cookie sheets with aluminum foil and set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until frothy.

4. Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until whites stand in stiff, glossy peaks. This will take about 10 minutes. Beat in the peppermint extract as desired.

5. Drop rounded tablespoons of mixture onto baking sheets, leaving a 1″ space in between; Sprinlkle tops with crushed candy.

6. Bake 1 1/2 hours.

7. Turn oen off and leave meringues in oven for 30 minutes. Let them cool completely before removing from the foil. Store meringues in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Happy Eating!