Old Bell Cow (March is Sing with Your Child Month)

I love this show! Too bad I can only find it on the web.
Here's a clip from the PBS show Lomax the Hound of Music.


Lomax The Hound of Music

March is Sing with Your Child Month!

In honor of the month have fun singing this silly song and then use the recipe following the song to make your own spaghetti.

ON TOP OF SPAGHETTI

written by Tom Glazer
sung to the tune of "On Top of Old Smokey"

On top of spaghetti (on top of spaghetti)
All covered with cheese (all covered with cheese)
I lost my poor meatball (I lost my poor meatball)
When somebody sneezed (when somebody sneezed)

It rolled off the table (it rolled off the table)
And onto the floor (and onto the floor)
And then my poor meatball (and then my poor meatball)
Rolled out of the door (rolled out of the door)

It rolled in the garden (it rolled in the garden)
And under a bush (and under a bush)
And then my poor meatball (and then my poor meatball)
Was nothing but mush (was nothing but mush)

Oh, the mush was as tasty (oh, the mush was as tasty)
As tasty could be (as tasty could be)
And early next summer (and early next summer)
It grew into a tree (it grew into a tree)

The tree was all covered (the tree was all covered)
With beautiful moss (with beautiful moss)
It grew lovely meatballs (it grew lovely meatballs)
And tomato sauce (and tomato sauce)

So if you eat spaghetti (so if you eat spaghetti)
All covered with cheese (all covered with cheese)
Hold on to your meatball (hold on to your meatball)
And don't ever sneeze (and don't ever sneeze)

Easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (you may also used ground turkey)
1 1/4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, minced
coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (optional)
1 egg, beaten

1 (28 ounce) jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 (16 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.25 ounce) can tomato puree

1 pkg of Spaghetti

DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, garlic, onion, and egg.
Using wet hands, form mixture into meatballs.

In a slow cooker, mix the spaghetti sauce, crushed tomatoes, and tomato puree.
Place the meatballs into the sauce mixture.
Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but firm to the bite.
Drain and move onto serving platter.
Spoon the sauce and meatballs over the pasta.

(this is a combination of more than one recipe...one of the original recipes can be found at allrecipes.com)

Tuesday Book Look.....Johnny Appleseed

Today is the Storytelling Sub's first Book Look.
I've decided to dedicated a couple of Tuesdays a month...note I haven't mentioned which ones or how many, yet...to a blog on the great books that are out there.
Each blog will pick a book, give a quick synopsis and an activity that is related to the story. I figure that there are sooooo many books out there that I could do this forever.



This Tuesday's Book Look is about the book Johnny Appleseed by Jane Yolen. There are many, many, many books for children about Johnny Appleseed and you can pick whichever you wish but I happen to like this one by Jane Yolen although Steven Kellog's version is also a fave.
It also happens that Thursday, March 11th is Johnny Appleseed Day.

Jane Yolen's Johnny Appleseed The Legend and The Truth does just as the title indicates. It tells the story of the legend of Johnny Appleseed, in verse, while giving the facts of his life on each page just under the verse.
The books reading level is rated for ages 4 to 8 years.

Just to tell you a little about the books subject without giving away the whole book:
Johnny Appleseed (September 26, 1774 – February 18, 1845)was born John Chapman. He was an American pioneer who introduced apple trees to large parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
Johnny was born on a small farm in Massachusetts. He headed west when he turned 18. Many believe that he planted apple seeds haphazardly but, in fact, Johnny planted with a plan.
To learn more about Johnny Appleseed, read one of the many books about him.

Now for the crafts!

Here's an apple coloring page

I was going to put a directions for Apple Printmaking but I found a site , Make and Takes, with wonderful directions and pictures.

Ooooo....another apple favorite is Apple Smiles.
you'll need:
an apple (read apples look more mouth like but any type of apple will do), cut into wedges
peanut butter or Nutella
miniature marshmallows
plastic knives
paper plates

how to:
1. Give each child 2 apple wedges, a plastic knife and a few marshmallows
2. Have the child smear peanut butter or nutella on one side of one of the apple wedges.
3. Place a few marshmallows on the peanut butter/nutella side of the apple wedge like teeth.
4. Smear peanut butter/nutella on one side of the other apple wedge.
5. Place this apple wedge on top of the marshmallows.
6. You now should have an apple smile.

Here's a marvelous recipe for Homemade Applesauce


This is the "Johnny Appleseed" song from the Disney movie.



Oh, the Lord's been good to me.
And so I thank the Lord
For giving me the things I need:
The sun, the rain and the appleseed;
Oh, the Lord's been good to me.

Oh, and every seed I sow
Will grow into a tree.
And someday there'll be apples there
For everyone in the world to share.
Oh, the Lord is good to me.

Oh, here I am 'neath the blue, blue sky
Doing as I please.
Singing with my feathered friends
Humming with the bees.

I wake up every day,
As happy as can be,
Because I know that with His care
My apple trees, they will still be there.
The Lord's been good to me.

I wake up every day
As happy as can be,
Beacuse I know the Lord is there
Watchin' over all my friends and me
The Lord is good to me.


-----SPANISH-----

Dios se acordó de mí,
Y a El le agradeezco
Porque me dio
Un Corazón
Y asî amar su creación,
Dios se acordó de

How to make three very simple Bird Feeders

Kids love to study animals.
A simple way to encourage your children in observing and helping wildlife is to make bird feeders for the yard.

There are three types of bird feeders that can be made using two basic ingredients...peanut butter and bird seed.

Pine Cone Bird Feeder
you'll need : a pine cone, string, peanut butter and bird seed

* Tie a piece of string, approximately 20inches long, firmly onto one end of the pine cone
* Spread a thick coat of peanut butter on the cone
* Roll the coated pine cone in bird seed
* Hang the pine cone in the yard

Bagel Bird Feeder
you'll need: half a bagel (it can be stale), string, peanut butter and bird seed

1. Take a piece of string approximately 20inches long and place it through the hole in the bagel and tie both ends together to make a large loop to hang up your bird feeder with.
2. Spread the flat side of the bagel with a heavy coating of peanut butter.
3. Pour a good amount of bird seed onto a plate
4. Press the peanut butter side of the bagel into the bird seed
5. Hanger you Bagel bird feeder outside

Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeder
you'll need: a toilet paper roll, string, peanut butter and bird seed

* Poke holes in the top of a toilet paper roll and thread string through them
* Spread a thick coat of peanut butter on the outside of the toilet paper roll
* Pour bird seed onto a plate
* Roll the peanut butter covered toilet paper roll in the bird seed, make sure it is covered well
* Hang your bird feeder outside

Now that you have your bird feeders, the kids can watch the different birds that come to eat, take pictures of the different birds that show up and maybe even keep track of the number of birds and do some research in to the types of birds that appear.

Happy Crafting!!

Crunchy Munchy Honey Cakes (okay, they're really cookies).....a song, a book and a few recipes

Honey Cookies is a cute book about a boy named Ben whose grandmother teaches him to make his favorite honey biscuits. He also discovers where all the ingredients in the recipe come from. The book includes a simple recipe at the end.

This song by the Wiggles is lots of fun to sing!


Here's the best part of the blog! Lots of yummy Honey Cookie recipes.

HONEY CRUNCH COOKIES

1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter/butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
4 c. Honey Nut Cheerios
2 c. flour
1 c. regular quick cooking oats
1/2 c. walnuts (optional)
1/2 c. coconut (optional)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chocolate chips or raisins (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugars, butter, vanilla, and eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop teaspoons of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten. Bake 6 minutes, rotate cookie sheet and bake 6 more minutes.

HONEY OATMEAL COOKIES

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. honey
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 c. wheat germ
1 1/2 c. oats
3/4 c. raisins
1/2 c. nuts
Sesame seeds (optional)
Coconut (optional)
Carob chips (optional)

Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients in 2 separate bowls. Then mix wet and dry ingredients together. Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes about 3 dozen.


Honey Crunch Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup honey
2 eggs
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup butterscotch chips
4 cups crisp rice cereal
Directions:
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large , cream butter until light and fluffy. Add honey, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mixture will appear curdled. Gradually add dry ingredients; beat until moistened. Fold in the coconut, chips and cereal. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Yield: about 5 dozen.

Pancake Day 2010

OMGoodness!!! This is the ULTIMATE! Bacon Pancakes...I can't believe I haven't thought of this before....DUH!!!
(oh yeah...February 16th is Pancake Day also known as Shrove Tuesday _ for more info on the day check this previous blog...back to the food)

The little note in the advertisement says:
Rath Bacon Strip Pancakes are the tender little pancakes youmake by pouring Aunt Jemima Pancake batter over cooked-crisp slices of our flavory True bacon. Then bake as usual. Complete recipe is on every Rath Black Hawk Bacon package.
advertisment found here




pages found at RecipeCurio.com

If the yummy bacony goodness isn't enough for you, you can try these Super Simple Pancake Muffins. They're sure to be a hit with kids of all ages.

PANCAKE MUFFINS
Sometimes the best recipes are based on the simplest ideas.
Like this one: Make pancake batter & bake it in muffin tins! It’s that easy. Enjoy!

Spring the recipe!
Ingredients
2 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter
12 tbsp filling: try Nutella, fruit jam, or cream cheese
confectioners sugar for sprinkling
maple syrup for serving

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously coat the bottom & sides of a 12-muffin tin with butter. Make Bisquick pancakes per instructions on the box. Fill each cup in the muffin tin half-way. Add 1 tbsp of filling to the middle of each muffin, then cover with the remaining pancake mix. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place on serving dish & use a flour sifter to sprinkle with sugar. Serve with warm syrup.

recipe found at thesimpleme.com

How to write in Secret Code

Secret codes have been around almost as long as writing has existed. It's used by the government, the military, businesses and by just the average person. Kids have probably been using secrets codes as long as they've existed as well.

There are dozens of secret codes or just alternative ways of writing.
Everything from Braille, to Morse code to Semaphore are explained at the
Youth Online/spykids site.

One of the simplest codes is made by taking the vowels out of all the words of your message.

For example the sentence:

This message looks like a bunch of gibberish.
becomes
Ths mssg lks lk bnch f gbbrsh.

when you remove all of the vowels.

At Martha Stewarts kids site she has a number of secret codes.
Here's a really fun and simple code:

Sdrawkcab gnihtyreve gnitirw yrt!

Looks strange doesn't it? But it's really just written backwards.

It says: Try writing everything backwards!

Our last code looks confusing but it's very simple. This first letter of each word has been replaced by a random letter.

Qake mll zf khe wodes tou rave searned fnd trite mo tour criends!
(Take all of the codes you have learned and write to your friends!)

Gnitfarc Yppah!! (Happy Crafting!!)

The code at the beginning of the blog was found at Scots Guide Secret Cyphers.

Fruit Salad.....a song and a recipe

How to Make Your Own New Year's Celebration

Even though the New Year is just a few days away, you still have time to decorate your home and make the new year fun and festive for children and adults alike.

Here's a chance for you to recycle some of those holiday decorations.
Try a few of these ideas:

1. Have ribbons left over from wrapping? Or maybe you just like to save the pretty ones from your gifts. These ribbons can be strung around the room instead of using traditional streamers.

2. You can make paper chains or use the ones from the Christmas tree to hang around the room.

3. Wanna give your new year a big bang? Make Confetti Balloons.
Fill balloons, a quarter full, with confetti (pulling the balloon over a funnel is the simplest method). Then inflate the balloons with a hand pump. At midnight pop the balloons, a sharp pencil will work, and have your own new year's fireworks!

4. Make your own Confetti.
Using paper from your craft stash (pieces of construction paper left over from art projects, used wrapping paper, etc. ) , cut the paper into tiny pieces or you can use paper punches if you have them.

5. Every new year's party needs noise makers.
Toilet Paper Roll Kazoos are perfect for the new year.
Decorate a Toilet Paper roll with markers, paint or glue on paper from your craft stash. Cut a circle of wax paper at least an inch around bigger than the tube. Use a rubber band to attach the wax paper circle to one end of the tube. Now hum or sing a tune!

These are just a few of the fun thrifty and crafty activities you can use to make your New Year special.

Happy Crafting!

How to make paper chains

Chubby Little Snowman

Here's a little poem/song that I've modified slightly.
There are hand movements for each line but you can make up your own.


A chubby little snowman (echo)
Had a carrot nose (echo)

Along came a bunny (echo)
And what do you suppose (echo)

The hungry little bunny (echo)
Looking for his lunch (echo)

Ate that carrot nose (echo)
With a crunch, crunch, crunch (echo)

(chorus...sing together)
All the little bunnies like
Carrots, carrots
All the little bunnies like to
Crunch, crunch, crunch

All the little bunnies like
Carrots, carrots
All the little bunnies like to
Munch, munch, munch

The King, the Maiden and the Pumpkin....a tale from the Phillipines

One day in a time long ago, King Adoveneis went out into the plains to hunt for deer, and he accidentally became separated from his companions.

Wandering about, the king saw a hut that was surrounded by a garden. Tending the garden was a beautiful young maiden.

The king spoke to the maiden and said, "Tell me, lass, what plants are you growing here?"

She replied, "I am raising pumpkins and melons."

Now, the king happened to be thirsty, and so he asked the maiden for a drink. "We were hunting in the heat of the day," he said, "and I felt a terrible thirst come over me."

The maiden replied, "O illustrious king! We have water to be sure, but only an old, crude jar in which to serve it. Surely it is not right or worthy that your Majesty should drink from such a crude jar! Now if we had a jar of pure gold, in which we could pour water from a crystal clear fountain, then that would be a proper offering for your Majesty."

The king replied to the girl, "Never mind the jar: I'm terribly thirsty! I care not if the jar is old, provided that the water is cool."

The maiden went into the house, fetched the jar, and filled it with clear cool water. Presently the king drank his fill.

After he had finished, the king handed her back the jar. Then, suddenly, the maiden struck the jar against the staircase. It was shattered to bits.

The king wondered at this strange act, and in his heart he thought that the maiden had no manners at all.

He cried, "You see that I am a noble king, and you know that I hold the crown. For what possible reason did you shatter that jar, received from my hands?"

The maiden replied, "The reason I broke the jar, which has been kept for many years by my mother, O king! is that I should not like to have it used by anyone else after you, your majesty, has touched it."

Upon hearing that, the king made no reply. In his heart, he marveled at the actions of the woman and determined that she was a good, virtuous maiden after all. As he returned toward the city, a thought began to grow on him. He wondered whether the maiden was as clever as she was virtuous.

After some time, the king one day ordered a soldier to carry to the maiden a new jar, one with an opening at the top not much more than one inch across. The soldier's orders were to tell the maiden that the jar was from the king, and that she was to put an entire pumpkin inside the jar. The soldier was also to tell the maiden that she should not break the jar under any circumstance. Both the jar with the small opening at the top and the pumpkin must remain whole.

The maiden returned a message to the king that she was certain she could do what his majesty ordered, but that such a task might take some time. Indeed, it was several months before the maiden arrived at the palace. In her hands she held the same jar, and sure enough, an entire pumpkin sat inside of it. When the king closely examined the jar, he confirmed that the jar was the same one that he had delivered. What's more, he saw that both the jar and the pumpkin were completely undamaged. He asked the maiden to marry him on the spot, as she was as clever as she was virtuous, and she gladly accepted.

Later, in their royal chambers, when his new wife revealed her secret, the king laughed long and hard.

How did she do it???

She had placed a pumpkin bud, one that was still attached to a vine in the ground, inside the jar through its small opening. Over time the pumpkin bud grew into a full-sized pumpkin. When the pumpkin filled the jar, she simply cut off the stem and delivered the jar with the pumpkin to the palace.


story found here at Whootie Owl's Stories



Pumpkin Cake in a Jar

Makes 8 cakes

Ingredients:
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
2-2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon each ground cloves, allspice, and cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
8 straight sided wide-mouth Pint Jars

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Grease 8 wide-mouth pint jars.

Cream the shortening and sugar together; beat in eggs, pumpkin, and water. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and baking soda together; add to pumpkin mixture and stir well. Stir in nuts.

Pour into jars, filling 1/2 full.

Make sure to keep the rims of the jars clean. Place jars on a cookie sheet to keep from tipping over while baking.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until done, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven. While still warm, place waxed paper on top of each cake and place lid on jar.

Cakes will slide out easily when they have cooled.

recipe found at YankeeMagazine.com

Humphrey the Blue-nosed Pumpkin....a very strange Halloween song

HUMPHREY THE BLUE-NOSED PUMPKIN
(to the tune of Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer)


Humphrey the blue-nosed pumpkin had a very obvious nose.
And if you ever saw it, you would surely say it shows.

All of the other pumpkins, used to laugh and call him names.
They never let poor Humphrey play in any pumpkin games.

Then one foggy Halloween Eve, the Great Pumpkin did say,
"Humphrey, with your nose so blue, you'll make all the ghosts say BOO!"

Then all the pumpkins loved him, and they shouted out with glee,
Humphrey, the blue-nosed pumpkin, You'll go down in history!