Contemporary Parent: Lucky Soup for the New Year

Contemporary Parent: Lucky Soup for the New Year

God Cakes

Turnover made of puff pastry (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

God cakes are a puff pastry filled with fruit and often served at different holidays in Europe, the most common being the New Year.

 

Filling:

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¾ cup raisins, dried cranberries or other fruit or mincemeat
• 1/3 cup lemon peel
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Puff pastry or pie dough

 

 

Preheat oven to 450*.

Mix the butter and sugar. Add the remaining filling ingredients. Heat this over a double boiler, over a low heat until thoroughly heated and combined. Allow to cool.

Prepare your pastry by making squares which are ¼ thick and about 3 inches wide.  Place the filling inside the square. Fold over the square to make a triangle. Seal the triangle with a fork or your fingers by pressing down on the edges. (Score the triangle with a knife to make three slashes. This is said in some places to represent the trinity but there is no consistent source of information. Brush with egg white.)

Place pastries on a cookie sheet. Place in oven. Reduce heat to 350*. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastries are golden-brown.

This recipe can be made even easier if you use canned pastry crescent dough.

Related articles

• Festive Healthy Treat - Mincemeat!
• Nothing says Merry Christmas quite like chocolate and bourbon
• Chocolate mince pies
• Puff Pastry Recipe, Puff Pastry Tarts

Super Easy Kings’ Cake

King cakes '10 (Photo credit: Cakey Cakes)

king cake, yay! (Photo credit: yarnivore)

 

 

 

 A kings' cake is a tradition shared across many cultures, and more popularly known as a dessert served during Mardi Gras. It is typically tri-colored in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of gold, green and purple. It is also served during the New Year. A bean, or a plastic toy in the shape of a baby, is hidden in the cake. Some say this is representative of hiding the baby Jesus from King Herod, who wanted to kill Jesus out of fear. Finding the baby or the bean can mean different things. It may mean good luck, it might mean you are King or Queen for the night, or it might mean, as in Mexico, you're obligated to throw the next party.

• Two cans of pre-made biscuit dough
• A bundt cake pan
• A quantity of cinnamon and sugar
• Butter
• White frosting
• Colored sprinkles
• (A quantity of nuts)
 

 Preheat oven to 350*.

Open biscuit dough cans. Grease the bundt cake pan with some butter. Place one can’s worth of biscuits in the pan to form one layer. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over it. (Hide the baby or the bean). Place the second layer of biscuits over the cinnamon-sugar center. Sprinkle more cinnamon-sugar over that, and include the crushed nuts, if you are using them.

Bake until golden brown.

Afterwards, decorate with the white frosting and colored sprinkles to make a festive presentation. If you do this without a bundt cake pan , then use an oven-safe ramekin to keep a hole in the center, to make it appear like a traditional kings’ cake.

There’s a second, just as easy, but more beautiful, kings’ cake recipe from Shannon Hurst.

Related articles

• Eggnog Spice Bundt Cake
• Chef Donna: Cinnamon bun breakfast bundt cake
• Coffee Bundt Cake

Yes, You Can Have A New Year’s Eve Party with Kids

New Year's Eve (Photo credit: volantwish)

Once you have children, New Year’s Eve is no longer that end-all, be-all rockin’ stockin’ shockin’ event of all time. So you have to make it fun, with kids and for kids. Kids love holidays and the implied bacchanalia – although in their case, it’s likely more associated with an overdose of cookies and video games than actual debauchery.  Timing, quirky activities, and leftovers can make this an affordable, fun, annual family affair.

Apple and Honey Bread Pudding for the New Year

 

English: A slice of home-made bread pudding. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My children occasionally do not eat the entire apple. I cut off the bitten part and freeze the rest. Frozen apples can be made into vinegar and diced for cooking. Since I also save up the ends of breads, the freezer is getting emptied out for a good cleaning for the upcoming New Year. Apples and honey are an important pairing in the Jewish culture, symbolizing a relationship with God and good fortune.

My Gift Was Awful! What Do I Do?

You’re staring at a monstrosity. It’s a foot tall statue of a Native American fertility god. Your aunt and uncle are looking at you expectantly. What do you do?
You say, “Thank you very much.”

White Elephant

Some people have a collection of gifts that they simply put away because they’re not sure what to do with them. Thus, the White Elephant Party was born.

How to Send Christmas Thank You Notes

 

Christmas thank you notes are a way of giving back to the giver. Children of all ages should be included in the process of thanking others for their gift. If thank you notes are written after each day, versus waiting for them to pile up, it won't be so overwhelming for them (or you!).

Otherwise, a few notes each day over week should be doable for most people, of any age. Although electronics provide the major form of communication these days, receiving a note in the mail is always received warmly.

After the general guidelines, there are some unique ways of thanking others which are afforded by our modern times.

Festive Holiday Non-Alcoholic Drink: "Hot Apple Pie"

Quite by accident, we discovered by twisting the traditional "Hot Buttered Almost Rum" recipe, we ended up with a non-alcoholic drink that tastes exactly like a slice of homemade apple pie.

It's a great alternative to the ever-present hot chocolate and spiced apple cider.

 

I didn't have all the same ingredients on-hand as the original recipe, so like so many of us, I made do with what I had.

What Size is My Costco Envelope?

In the ongoing and sad saga of my belated Christmas cards, I discovered that Costco envelopes don't have a readily discernible size in Microsoft 2007. No, there is no "Costco" envelope in mail merge.

I tried measuring it but then I realized that my mystery Costco envelope fell into the millimeters category. I am an American! I don't want to deal with this metric cra*!

Fortunately, I found this link to a company called Printernational, which has a helpful page on translating envelope sizes from standard to metric and back again. Ah. My Costco envelope is the A-7 size.

Update:
Unbelievable. Word 2007 doesn't have the A-7 size! I have resorted to using the B-6 envelope and adjusting the delivery address so that it's more "centered" by moving 1.8 inches from the left. The B-6 is smaller than the A-7 dimensions so I'm compensating for the size difference by "centering" the delivery address space to prevent my envelopes from printing on the edge. I am going to use a test piece of paper, then hold it up against my envelope to see if I am correct. I won't update this again so it's best if you also test your dimensions out, as well, on a piece of paper or, if you're super confident (I am not) you can use the extra envelope that Costco gave you.

How to Merge Contacts in Hotmail/Outlook Online 2013

It's Christmas and I'm down to the flippin' wire about sending out our Christmas cards.

Hotmail has changed its options and methods for merging contacts. It used to be so easy.
No! I'm SO not ready for this.

After a few frustrated searches for information, I discovered this on my own - so simple, I am embarrassed, but oh, well, think of it as my embarrassment is your cocktail party conversation.

Since currently the "new" information isn't out there, I am helping other people out, which is a personal ambition.

• Check the white box on the left, next to each contact that is a duplicate.
• Move your eye to the upper right of the screen.
• There is a link called "Link".
• Click that and the two (or more) contacts will merge into one happy family.

This appears to be a common occurrence as I discover friends whose marital status or personal style has changed. Cross your fingers that I will get the cards out before Christmas. Otherwise, does anyone know of a good place to buy sets of "Happy New Year" stickers?

 

Recycle Fun: DIY Paper Christmas Wreath

This was made from free stuff laying around.

Recycle Fun: Reindeer and Angels from Fallen Palm Fronds, Part 2

Fallen palm fronds can become reindeer or angels.

This is the angel end.

Recycle Fun: Reindeer and Angels from Fallen Palm Fronds, Part 1

If you live in an area with palm trees, a really strong wind will blow off the branches and create a mess.



Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?



But they're not a mess. They're an opportunity.

DIY Natural Humidity for Your Home with Festive Flair

 

 

 

The basics of maintaining proper humidity levels in your home include keeping the windows and doors shut. An occasional freshening of the home with an airy breeze is fine, but don’t forget to close the windows after a few minutes. Another tried and true method is the small humidifier which is ideally in the same room as your Christmas tree. The added humidity levels are beneficial for keeping your green friend moist and permit it to last longer into the season. Here are some inventive and fun ways to add some moisture to the dry indoor air this winter.

Yo, Ho, Ho... Hot Buttered “Almost Rum”

This drink can be made in a slow-cooker or on the stove top. It can be made with OR without the rum. The liquid smells so heavenly, “just like Christmas”, says my husband, that the rum is simply an adult afterthought. Without the rum, children can enjoy this cheery drink.

Mulled Wine - Something to Think About This Holiday Season

 

Many cultures have their own version of this wintertime adult brew. It can be known as Glog in Scandinvia or Gluh-Wein in Germany. Although I think it’s cute that it’s called “Glow Wine” in Germany, it’s not because of the rosy glow of your cheeks; historically the wine was warmed using bright, glowing irons. You can vary the recipe and the method to your tastes. I’m going to estimate this recipe serves about twenty people. Remember, this is a sweet drink, meant to be sipped slowly, not thrown back into your gullet like a fraternity party punch.

Vegetable Ninja-ed His Sandwich

My son doesn't admit to liking anything that grows out of the ground. He gets his vegetables from the vegetable oil that fries up the vegetarian animals that end up on his plate.

Raising the vegetable bar in my household depends on a few key points:

1. Thin

2. Small

3. You don't mention it.

4. Dry

5. Layers

It's a subtle thing - you're not lying.  You're behaving as if this is normal for normal people: lettuce with a ham sandwich, tomato with your turkey breast.  Lying is when your child asks, "Are these vegetables?" and you say, "Why, no, they are the magical parts of the turkey which only show up in the sandwiches of the luckiest of children!".

My son and I used to argue about his lack of green intake.  It was tiring. Therefore, I stopped trying to argue with him and just used logic. If he didn't like my lunches, he could make his own. Well, he did for awhile, and they were appalling lunches. Then when I returned to making them, he grumbled about my "salads" on his sandwich. Therefore, I tried sandwich-making, "Ninja" style. Subtle. Quiet. And I used a very, very sharp knife.

Thin is crucial. A thick slab of dripping tomato is disgusting to anyone. I am an adult; I eat tomatoes today. But I remember the icky feeling of the "spurt" of slimy seeds into my mouth. If you feel uncomfortable reading that line, then I've been successful at conveying my personal distaste for tomatoes in my errant youth.  So, slice them thin, especially for first timers.

Super thin cucumber

Look at that tomato juice. Gross.

Small is essential, too. The newcomer to the vegetable world does not want to noisily chow down on three inches of greens on their first vegetable journey. A select few, tender leaves in the middle of the sandwich, between meat and bread, should be fine.

Don't mention that you added vegetables. It is a child's prerogative to deny the value of anything that a parent deems important, noteworthy or educational or healthy. Avoid that argument otherwise it  will end up with your child trading his sandwich or dissecting it apart at the schoolyard lunch table. I actually found that my children were both more willing to eat more of their lunch as long as that item was not part of the argument of the week.

Don't forget this word: Dry. A wet sandwich is an absolutely DISGUSTING sandwich. Try to feed a wet sandwich to an adult. They won't eat it, will they? Therefore, do not set up your beloved little person to sink their teeth into jellyfish-like globs of wet dough and dripping sandwich meat. They will reel in horror and instantly point an accusing finger at the weeping greenery in their sandwich. To avoid this, you must air-dry or paper-towel dry the sandwich ingredients. You're not being overly indulgent. You are trying to create food that will be eaten, not wasted. Ask yourself, when you are done, would you eat that same sandwich in four hours? Why or why not? Yeah. You see what I am saying, don't you? It's like McD's fries the next day. No way, no how.

 

Finally, I believe a good tactic is layering your sandwich correctly. Ideally you can provide packets or dressing or ketchup which your child will lather onto the sandwich himself.

But if you don't have those individual packets which you loaded up on at the Drive-Thru window (Wait, you don't do that?), then lightly spread the dressing, apply the cheese, position the tomato and/or lettuce, then the meat, then the second slice of bread.



Put the vegetables in the MIDDLE. It's not the point of hiding them; that's a side benefit. It's the point of minimizing the potential for a wet, gloppy, disgusting sandwich, dripping in tomato juice and slimy with ham liquid.  The (formerly) wet stuff is best in the middle - even though you've dried them somewhat. It's a safety precaution.

So, am I spoiling my children by being so careful with their sandwiches? Well, you decide. It took about thirty days of these "Ninja"ed lunches until my anti-green stuff son admitted that he usually ate the whole sandwich, including the "green stuff".  Win the war, forget the battle.

We never really argued about his eating more vegetables again, and he appeared a little more likely to try a new vegetable when approached...

Note: one cannot go from tomatoes to parsnips. That's too big of a jump.

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Using Egg Cartons as a Drawer Divider

This doesn't look so bad... I'm already thinking a little paper mâché and paint could make it look like faux wood.

Then again, I can also close the drawer

Blogger Tabs as Webpages - Duh!

This gentleman's explanation was so clear. Thank you. In appreciation, I am sharing.
http://www.bloggertipspro.com/2013/05/how-to-make-category-tabs-in-blogger.html#comment-form
 

Homemade Laundry Soap

DIY Natural is a great site for homemade detergents, cleaners, and what-not.
This is their link to homemade laundry detergent: http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-laundry-detergent-soap/ I add a little baking soda to my own version.

The End of the World Means It's Time for Soup

It's SO dang cold! Is it the end of the world?

 

I thought the entire world was frozen this morning because my smart phone listed Brisbane, Australia and a city in Africa at single digit degrees. I thought about the end of time and mammoths and ice ages (not the movie series) and people scavenging for food and territory wars over a gas station... My husband pointed out that my phone was on Celsius. Whatever. It's still cold!

 

It's a great day (or week) for some homemade soup. This is recipe from my upcoming e-book, tentatively titled Tales and Thoughts from a Contemporary Parent's Kitchen, which emphasizes cheap, filling food, out of whatever you have on hand.

Chicken Soup

When I cook this with shredded lasagna noodles (which I had from frozen extras), my children love this concoction. I am making it again today!

Thrift store furniture works out great for us

I regularly visit thrift stores.  My $10 can go at lot farther here than at Target.

Teaching My Calling: Adding Tabs to Blogger

Teaching My Calling: Adding Tabs to Blogger: Have you noticed how some blogs have each topic of their blog organized neatly under tabs at the top of their pages? Would you like to know ...

Making Your Own Cream of Chicken Soup

(an excerpt from the upcoming e-book, Tales and Thoughts from the Contemporary Parent's Kitchen)

Making Your Own Cream of Chicken Soup

Cream of chicken soup is a pantry essential but I got freaked out when I read about the “bad things” in canned chicken soup on the internet. The internet is a scary place. I am more fearful of my own house now thanks to various websites.

Anyway, you start out by making a roux out of butter and flour.

What I would Change in My Parenting Life... if I could

Don't we all go through this?

If I could do it ALL over again I would...

I would have had children sooner. I think if I were ten years younger, then I'd be a bit more of a  "lively mom" ... I would be more of a "hip mom".

I would have had more children. I have one son and one daughter. They are so different in their needs and social lives. Yet I sometimes wish that they didn't have only each other.  I would have liked them to have one "of their own" to talk to, to be a confidant. One boy for his brother and one girl for her sister. Then again, they might have ganged up on us or created massive-scale family wars.

I would have had smaller, more intimate birthday parties. I got a little caught up in the whole birthday party gamut for several years. I was able to pull back early on with my son, and go from gang buster get-togethers with renting bouncy houses to smaller, museum trips and now to video-game overnighters. My daughter was a little tougher, but we were able to do an overhaul on the idea of a birthday party by offering up a special lunch for her and a friend or a mini-shopping spree at a favorite store: both of these much less expensive in the long run. However, this year,

There can be only ONE.... Ninja Mom?

Working on a cookbook/diary/survival guide, and was tentatively calling it "Tales from a Ninja Mom's Kitchen". Catchy huh? But wait! There's DOZENS of Ninja Mom products out there - blogs, a cool t-shirt, a website - wow. Just when you think you have an original idea, that  internet thing just sets you straight! Sigh. So, I think I'll stick with C-Parent for now. Or not include it. But something will happen soon.