Preschool letter of the week A Part 2

Letter of the week continued with more A. We had Wednesday off from school then yesterday was rough day because the kids didn't want to do anything I had planned. Amanda gave me the idea to try doing a hands on activity with cloud dough to try to bring Scylla's attention back. So we tried making A shapes but still didn't do well. And man does cloud dough make a mess. The recipe for it is (half batch which is still a ton of dough) 4 cups flour to 1/2 cup oil. I don't have any pictures of that adventure. 

Today we started with reading animal cafe. 

Then tracing letters (which was really quick because they get bored with it.)

So we did water painting of things that start with A. See Scylla's Apple below

Then we did A science experiment using apples. We placed a piece of Apple in each cup. We did cups with nothing in it, vinegar, lemon or lime juice (we used lime), soda (Pepsi for moms drink), and water then waited to see what happen. We did this right after reading so that they had time to sit. And we did our other projects. 

Here is how they turned out 

Soda was pretty brown (maybe do to the brown of Pepsi or the acid?) water was only a little brown. Nothing in it was almost as brown as the soda

Vinegar was pretty close to how brown the soda was maybe in 2nd place if not tied for 1st. (Scylla said that the Pepsi one was the most brown) the lemon/lime one was least brown. 

Then after we talked about what we saw Scylla decided she wanted to taste them. She only liked the plain one and the water one. She did like the Pepsi one at first taste but hated after minute. She refused to taste the vinegar one due to the smell and the lime/lemon one she said it was sour. Kind of cute how she added her own idea of the science experiment by adding taste to it too. 

We also did finger painting of an alligator in water. (Pic below) not sure if it really looks like that but the kids had fun with the idea

Preschool Letter of the week A

We started letter of the week yesterday. (Most of the ideas I have gotten for preschool have been off Pinterest) 

This week we are working on A. Yesterday we did bingo stamping of big A (see pictures below) the kids loved this because they use the bingo markers to stamp in the circles and create the A shape. I found some print outs online of the A shape. I'm not sure if they were meant for bingo stamping or not but they work great. 

Then using the A outline I drew on their papers and the green squares of paper we used the glue stick and created the A.  Then I gave the kids precut out triangles for teeth and they glue those on inside the A (turning the A side ways) then they drew eyes on the circle cutouts then glued those on creating the A is for alligator. We also read ABC book and worked on singing the ABC's. 

Today we continued with A but using little a. Again we did bingo stamping of the little a this time. Scylla stayed perfectly in the lines today. I think the bingo stamping is Orson's favorite part of school (wish thank goodness it doesn't make to much of a mess) 

Then we talked about the a sounds and how A is also for apple. Then we did scylla's favorite part the apple stamping. I took two apples one red and one green and cut them in half the carefully cut out a little slice on each side so that they had a handle. I put some red paint on a paper plate and green on another then showed them how it works and they went for it. 

Given that we are all sick with a cold and of course mommy has the worst of it (between up all night with her self and the kids) I really didn't feel up to doing much school today but Scylla loves school so much that I had to do something. So after these few things I let her watch reading rainbow on making apple pie with her dad while Orson and I went and took a nap. (Well going to after this post) 

I'll post more in the next few days on the rest of the week on letter of the week A. 

Lemon Sauce

A few years ago We are at a small restaurant in Las Vegas and shared the halibut. It was served on a bed of steamed julienned vegetables like carrots, zucchini broccoli it seems like something else but I don't remember. I think it had mashed potatoes at the bottom. Then it was topped with lemon sauce.  It was heavenly!  We made the veggies and sauce with chicken for my husbands family reunion a few years ago and it was a big hit. I was in Vegas a couple of months ago with my Sister and SIL and I looked all over for that restaurant and couldn't find it. I decided to recreate that dinner tonight and I went crazy trying to find my perfect lemon sauce on my IPhone. I decided there is only one solution it needs to be on the blog so I can find it!

Lemon sauce

1/4 cup butter

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 c chicken broth

1 egg

Melt butter over low heat.  Add beaten egg slowly

Stir constantly over low heat until it 

Thickens. Stir in lemon juice And chicken broth.  

Good served over steamed veggies 

Fish or chicken.  

Chinese Orange chicken stir fry

Best orange chicken stir fry.

1/2 Jar of orange marinade 

1-2 TBS Grated Ginger 

3 TBS Soy sauce

1/4 Cup Brown sugar 

2-3 TBS Sriracha hot chili sauce 

1 TBS Garlic 

Fresh or frozen veggies (I used frozen stir fry veggies) 

Chicken breast

(Test sauce before serving if needed add more)

Cut chicken into pieces, tossing into hot pan with a drizzle of olive oil. On low-medium heat Add veggies then put soy sauce, orange marinade, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, chili sauce on top then mix in. Put lid on cook for about 20 mins stirring occasionally. Veggies should be tender and chicken fully cooked if not cook a until done. Sauce should be a little thick if not it's okay it still tastes wonderful. Serve over rice. 

Apple Banana Bread

 I made this for Curtis to take to bishopric/ward counsel meeting today and got raving reviews. I have made this recipe before because Curtis like to have something besides just bananas in his banana bread and of course we can't do nuts so we have tried several recipes. He has always liked this one but I haven't made it for awhile because I was thinking that I needed baking apples and I just don't buy them much but I made it with gala and I think it worked just fine.

Apple Banana Bread
3 lg. ripe bananas 

1 c. sugar
1 egg
4 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp.  salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 apples, peeled and chopped into small pieces 

Cinnamon Topping:
1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tbsp. softened butter
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, softened butter and cinnamon.

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan; set aside. In a bowl mash bananas; you should have 1 cup. Beat in sugar, then egg and butter. In another bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda; add to banana mixture and stir just until all flour is moistened. Add apples; stir just until well mixed. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle cinnamon topping evenly over batter.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

I use a regular bread pan and a little bread pan, otherwise it bakes too high. I bake the little pan for about 25- 30 minutes.

Chocolate bunt cake with chocolate glaze

Chocolate bunt cake with chocolate glaze

I used a cake mix from a box then made the glaze. Remember bunt cakes take longer to cook then normal 13 by 9 pan. 

Glaze recipe

1 can sweeten condense milk

1 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

1 tsp vanilla 

Combine sweeten condense milk with chocolate chips in a sauce pan over medium heat until melted. 

Remove from heat add vanilla. Mix well

Drizzle over cooled cake. 

Enjoy once cooled!

Spinach Chicken wrap recipe

Spinach Chicken wrap

1 chicken breast    Grilled
Romaine lettuce
Spinach wraps (I used Mission)
Blue cheese dressing or ranch
Feta cheese
Avocado
Tomatoes
Any other veggies



Spread Dressing all over one side of the spinach tortilla (wrap), place feta cheese, grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, Avocado (sliced), and any other veggies you want on top of the dressing on the tortilla. Fold in 2 sides then start at the bottom and roll upwards. Cut in half at a angle for fancy look.

Easy Lunch or Dinner and Healthy too!