Powered By Blogger

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

A Gift of Thanks - Ice Candles

 One year, when I was a child, I wanted to make something special and unique for Christmas presents. I pored over library craft books (this was waaayy before the Internet) and found this fantastic idea for ice candles. The creations were each unique from each other due to the way the wax cools around the ice as it melts. The closest thing I can think of to relate it to is the from the movie Sweet Home Alabama, when the lightning strikes the sand and turns it into glass sculptures.

Fast forward quite a few years. My son is about to finish his first year of preschool. Not only have his teachers helped see him through some of his biggest milestones (potty training, teething his last molars, etc.), they've also protected him through 2 lock downs (one in immediate danger zone), cuddled him through strep and a handful of ear infections, and rocked him to sleep on his off days. They've done an incredible job keeping him stimulated, learning, caring, and independent. They've instructed, consoled, encouraged, and corrected him. They are angels. And I want to give them something unique and special to show them Steve's and my appreciation for all they've done the past 9 months. But what could I offer that wouldn't be overdone, or useless, or ruin a diet? Then I remembered the ice candles.

Before you can begin, you must collect as many tin cans as you need in the size you want. The only stipulation is that these must be of the "old school" design - meaning, both ends must be able to be cut off in order to successfully extract the candle from the can. I don't know how recently the "stackable" cans came out, but the bottoms are rounded and cannot be cut off. Avoid these for this purpose. Below, I have two pumpkin cans - one upside down so you can see the ridge that enables the can opener to cut the bottom off.
You will also need whole candles to fit in the middle of these - if they're too long (as you'll see in my picture below), heat a knife and cut these to the desired length.

Next, I was able to garner a large quantity of slightly used crayons off of freecycle.com. I discovered each teachers' favorite colors and began to separate the crayons. This was a practice in 'browns' 
First, peel the crayons. 
 Mark the insert candles with the length requirements and cut them with a heated knife to make the cut cleaner and prevent damaging the candle as a whole. 
 Using an older (or buying a cheap pot just for this purpose) pan, melt the wax.
 I used a popsicle stick to stir the wax as it melted. This is a lovely chocolate brown color.
 As the wax melts, pour a tray's worth of ice cubes into a freezer bag (thicker than regular storage baggies) and hit on a safe, hard surface to break the ice up. You do NOT want shavings or tiny pieces. Try to keep these fairly large. You may purchase a bag of from a store, too. I used our basement floor, since it was concrete, as I didn't want to damage the surface beneath the baggie.
 Pour the ice chunks around the center candle.
 Using the baggie (or newspaper) as protection, pour the melted wax over the ice. One key note of advice: make sure you have enough melted wax to come to the top of the can. As you can see, my practice candle was, thankfully, practice. I did not have enough wax to fill it. After the can is filled, let it sit long enough for the wax to harden. I initially put them into the freezer to speed that up, but only long enough for the top to solidify. After that, pull them out so the ice will melt.
 I let them sit overnight. Then, pour out as much melted ice as possible. Placing a towel on the counter, cut the bottom of the can, but leave the bottom on. Very gently, and pressing as evenly as possible on the bottom piece, push the candle out the top of the can. There will be pieces that break off, but you should be pleasantly surprised with the myriad of designs that appear.
Here's the collection of candles I made for Syd's teachers. Notice that the cans are full to the brim with the various colored waxes.
After extracting, these are each unique. I hope his teachers are able to enjoy these, and I hope it conveys, in some small part, our appreciation for their time, energy, and love for our son.
It's odd. I've been a public school teacher for 8 full years, now. I've always enjoyed the letters, the notes, the small gifts my students bring me - before the holidays and sometimes at the end of the year. But I find myself pondering the thank you gifts we're giving my son's teachers more than expected. It is an interesting dichotomy of thought, and it makes me appreciate the time I have with my students even more.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Pumpkin Scones Update

Ah... pumpkin. It is good any time of year. I refuse to designate pumpkin as a 'seasonal' item. Case in point, I had the baking itch again today and decided to try the recipe for Pumpkin Scones I'd been guarding for - I hesitate to admit this - years without trying. 

I'll repeat the recipe so you don't have to go to my other page:

Pumpkin Scones - Makes about 12
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 1 1/3 tsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp nutmeg
(Already I can see I would add the same measurement in cloves.)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (That's it?)
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixer w/ a paddle and blend well. Add pumpkin and mix until combined. Add the cream and do the same.
2. The dough will be sticky, so roll it in about 1/2 cup flour. Line a half-sheet pan w/ parchment paper and roll out the dough into a 1" thick rectangle. 
3. Cut it into 4x4" squares (you should get 5 or 6) and place them on a fresh parchment-lined sheet pan. Place the entire pan in the freezer until the scones have frozen thoroughly.

3. Cut each square into two triangles. (Any scones you do not want to immediately bake may now be wrapped up and remain frozen until later use.)
4. Bake, about 4 at a time, on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Cool the scones on the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Drizzle w/ cream cheese icing and enjoy.
This was printed in a newspaper and states this is courtesy of Robert Carkin. 

Confession time: I misjudged how much heavy cream I had. I only had 1 cup left in my carton. I did, however, have full-fat buttermilk from our weekly batch of pancakes that I make for Syd. I figured the important part was the fat, since there is no oil or butter in these, and used that. 

It was delicious! I am quite bitter that I hadn't tried them before. They will, however, become a regular part of my baking repertoire. 
The best part? I had just enough pumpkin left over to make my famous pumpkin bread!! One loaf will automatically go into the freezer for sometime this summer when it is much too hot to bake. The other will be devoured immediately. Yay for pumpkin!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Never-Dry Pork Chops

Growing up in Wisconsin, pork chops and applesauce were a staple and regularly in our family repertoire. I had my hand in the cooking of many of our family meals - we had a rather large blended family, and everyone had their share of chores or duties. I tended to gravitate towards the kitchen, though we all rotated with our respective duties.

It wasn't until after I moved out and Steve and I were living together that I realized I didn't really know how my Mom cooked her pork chops. Allow me to pause for a moment and say that Southern pork chops are not at all what I was accustomed to with our German/Polish roots in Wisconsin. I was at a loss as to how to go about preparing them and cooking them.

I gave it my best shot. They were fantastic, and Steve has never had a complaint about them. Years later (18, in fact), he still requests them on a regular basis. I made them tonight. I have never had my pork chops dry out - even when I've overcooked them. 

What you'll need:
cinnamon and garlic
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
pork chops

Rinse the chops in a clean sink and allow them to rest there to drain while you get your pan ready.
Preheat a pan with liberal amounts of olive oil. When it no longer coats the pan and seems to run like water, you're ready.
Sprinkle the exposed chop with salt, LOTS of cinnamon, and garlic powder (pepper to taste).
Put this side face-down in the pan.
Make sure you move them around a little to get them seared so they don't stick to the pan and burn.
While that side is searing, sprinkle the exposed side with the same ingredients.
Give the chops another moment, then flip them. Allow side 2 to sear.

After the chops are completely seared on both sides, add water. 

You heard me. Water.
I would say I add about 1/2 cup.

Let the chops simmer in the water, flipping occasionally. 

In all - I would say this takes 20 minutes. It is just enough time to get the rest of dinner going and wrangle a hungry baby without the chops drying out and becoming tough.
 This photo was taken right after I added the water.
The chops are tender, moist, and full of garlicky cinnamony goodness. To really fit in with the German side of me, be sure to eat each piece dipped in applesauce. YUM!

Please let me know if you try these! Bon appetit!

Friday, May 10, 2013

Pumpkin Scones

My coworkers know I am a "Yes Man" for anything pumpkin. I love pumpkin in sweet, in savory, in any dish. And it is truly good for you, so why not? I have found ways to incorporate pumpkin into the oddest dishes, sometimes without anyone even noticing (lasagna). And at times, I'll throw in a last little scoop I have into something just to keep from wasting it.

My only real regret - I haven't figured out a way to successfully make pumpkin biscotti - they're much too moist. They're delicious, but they don't have the shelf-life of true biscotti. Thank goodness I don't give up easily.

In response to a request from a friend about possibilities for Mother's Day, I immediately thought of my pumpkin recipes because everyone obviously loves pumpkin as much as I do. One of my absolute favorites (and it is much easier than the stigma attached to it) is Pumpkin Creme Brulee - I posted this recipe a few years ago for my sister. I then remembered I have this recipe for scones. I actually haven't tried these yet, so if anyone beats me to them, let me know.

Pumpkin Scones - Makes about 12
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 1 1/3 tsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp nutmeg
(Already I can see I would add the same measurement in cloves.)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (That's it?)
1 3/4 cups heavy cream

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixer w/ a paddle and blend well. Add pumpkin and mix until combined. Add the cream and do the same.
2. The dough will be sticky, so roll it in about 1/2 cup flour. Line a half-sheet pan w/ parchment paper and roll out the dough into a 1" thick rectangle. Cut it into 4x4" squares (you should get 5 or 6) and place them on a fresh parchment-lined sheet pan. Place the entire pan in the freezer until the scones have frozen thoroughly.
3. Cut each square into two triangles. (Any scones you do not want to immediately bake may now be wrapped up and remain frozen until later use.)
4. Bake, about 4 at a time, on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Cool the scones on the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Drizzle w/ cream cheese icing and enjoy.

This was printed in a newspaper and states this is courtesy of Robert Carkin. I am truly curious to see how these turn out, though I imagine they would be divine w/ some fresh coffee.

Bon appetit!

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

A Summer Break Revelation

The school year is nearly over. We have our AP English Lit. test tomorrow, final SoLs are next week, then we have a week before exams hit. My 8th year in this public school is done and I am officially past the statistical "I-am-burned-out-&-must-leave-this-career-for-something-else" point. The first few summers, I tried to find summer jobs to help out. But let's be honest - I was teaching and coaching a spring sport and barely even saw my own bed much less had time to look for a job before all the returning college kids snatched them up. 

Then, I got burned out on coaching the same year we became pregnant. Very convenient combination to use as a reason to resign from coaching. That summer, I enjoyed myself tremendously and I took advantage of every spare minute I had for myself, knowing that would all change.

The first summer I was home with baby was nice. I got a lot of reading done, but not much else. Syd was crawling and I was still nursing. I wrangled baby.

The second summer was better - we could go outside and play more. He could go swimming and we were involved in more activities. He was in swim lessons. We still did a lot of playing with blocks, but we started having play dates and music classes.

Last year, I was prepping him for preschool. We discovered Play-Doh and all it's awesome possibilities. We had swim lessons and play dates and visited Daddy at work. And I downloaded coloring sheets that focused on letters of the alphabet. We colored these and practiced the sounds, and I decorated the walls with our motley-colored crayon alphabet. We reviewed these regularly. We sang, we danced, we grew.

My son will be nearly 4 this summer. After paying for preschool this year as well as replacing our HVAC over spring break, I thought a part-time job would help with a few other repairs that needed to be done, plus offer a little wiggle-room for some entertainment. However, my summer search for a job fell to the wayside weeks ago. I pursued it for about two weeks before deciding not to worry. Then I had a revelation.

Allow me to digress for a moment - I said our AP test is tomorrow morning. 7 am sharp. My seniors have been working diligently towards this moment and I have the utmost faith that if they are able to calm their nerves and focus, they will do well and surpass their own expectations. I am in awe of some of my students' abilities. I want to ask them, and their parents, what they did to ensure not only the basic understanding of concepts but also the depth of focus, analysis, etc. that allowed these students to reach this level of success and achieve their potential. How do I raise a child who will make use of what has been given him? How do I make sure he grows to appreciate his potential and not waste it in teenage angst?

I was downloading worksheets for Syd to work on this summer. I still have some alphabet ones from last year, but what I was more focused on as I looked through the hundreds offered here was the expansion of his knowledge. Yes, I want him to remember what I and his wonderful teachers have worked with him on this past year. However, I want to push him, too. I want him to stretch so that even if he isn't ready for the level of work, he is still striving for that level - but not to the point of frustration.

And then it hit me. No longer was my summer schedule just made up of play dates and music lessons (translation - bang on a bunch of drums and dance in bubbles), movies and parks. I had already built in consistent library dates. I was searching Pinterest for fun science ideas and basic math. I found printable worksheets for cutting and tracing and connecting alphabetical as well as numerical dots. I downloaded flashcards for sight words and cue cards for rhyming and alliteration as well as worksheets for blending sounds. I had activities that discussed weather and seasons and comprehension. I even found simple math - addition and subtraction, and started planning in my head how to use M & Ms to accomplish this.

I was, in fact, developing a curriculum for my toddler.

I am, after all, a teacher. And I know I know I know he is not ready for some of these - I had accidentally found myself in 1st grade-level activities a few times. But I also know he's a smart cookie. And I know, too, that we won't have the constant stimuli that a school room with 17 three and four year olds will have. I wanted to be prepared. And isn't the first rule - in fact, the cardinal rule of teaching to be over-prepared so the students don't have time to get into trouble? 

Ever since my first summer with baby, I have developed a "plan" for the summer. I allot time to work on my own classes; I plot milestones for us; I plan activities. But my job this summer, rather than working in retail or keeping on top of parks and Sesame Street and keeping house, is to keep son. To raise my son. To stay focused on his character and his education and to help make memories that he will cherish later. And to establish a basic understanding that education, in any form, is necessary and required and enjoyed. 

We will not complete all that I have downloaded. I will be surprised if we make our way even halfway through. But I have it here in case he shows an aptitude for any of it, and I have a ready stock of crayons, toddler scissors, and tape. I'm looking forward to trading in my SoLs and AP tests and deep, analytical novels and essays for Little Critter, Berenstein Bears, and lots of crayons and Play-Doh.