Farmers market products plentiful this time of year.....Lime Coleslaw......

I love this time of the year.  We so much fresh produce available at the farmers markets it would be a shame not to use these beautiful products.  This is a great end of the year salad that I put together.  It does not have that creamy high calorie dressing.  I love the tart dressing that brings out the rich flavors of the fresh vegetables.  I made this for a family gathering. 

Jane's Lime coleslaw:  can be assembled a couple of hours ahead of time.  Add blueberries right before serving.

• 1 head of cabbage (I would use a medium size head you get a great deal of cabbage in one head)
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 red pepper chopped
• 1/2 yellow pepper chopped
• 1/2 green or purple pepper chopped
• 1 medium size red onion chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 3 cobs of corn grilled, (remove corn from cob for salad by cutting between the cob and the corn) (Note:  You can use a drained 15 ounce can of corn too.  I just love the flavor from the grilled product and always make extra when we grill.)
• 1 pint blueberries (Can use 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries when blueberries are out of season.)

Combine all of the above items except the blueberries.  Mix.  Add dressing and mix again.  Gently add the blueberries before serving.

Dressing:  Combine and shake in a separate container

• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 t honey
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t chili powder
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1/4 t cumin

Taste:  I like this tart flavor.  If you would like it sweeter add a bit more honey.

The beautiful ingredients before they are put together!  Don't you love the wonderful colors we get from nature?

With Love from your retired FACS teacher, Jane

I was not going to get sentimental yesterday, but I did today!

Yesterday our oldest son turned 26.  I decided to stop looking back down memory lane because it always makes me weepy and really the future is so bright for our kids!

Well, then my sister in law posted videos from the past....bam, back to the weepy puddle of motherhood.  Which, I guess, is not so bad.

My brother's children are born one year and a day apart from my oldest so we often celebrated the birthdays together when they were young.  There are only 5 boy cousins on my side and they are all very close.  Sometimes more like brothers than cousins.  They keep in touch, they make a point to see each other and they argue too. 

We established many traditions even though my brother and his family have moved all over the country through out the years.  It has been fun.

Family has always been an important connection for everyone in our family.  But we have not been perfect!  There has been dysfunction, pain and hurt along the way more than a few times.  You never know what goes on behind closed doors.  But, when something gets messy you have to move forward, make a change and carry on.  Developing strong, healthy children are what matters.  Sometimes we forget that when we get caught up in our personal adult messes.  Children see and know so much just from being there. 

My point being, one does not have to have perfection to create family and love.  You just need each other, good communication, hope and love to keep your children strong, loving people. 

Happy birthday to three of the "The Boys".  (That's what they were to my mother.)

The 5 of them together....2004

4 of them before #5 was born.  1990

Using White Whole Wheat (a couple of scone recipes)

This past June when I visited Manhattan, Kansas for the "Festival of Breads"  we took a tour of a flour processing plant.  They made white whole wheat and gave each of us a bag. 

I had not used this flour before and I asked them about it.  The manager of the co-op said that white whole wheat has not caught on with the consumer. 

Since we were given the bag of white whole wheat, and being the frugal person that I am, I hauled it home to Minnesota to use. 

I have been using it in baking because I think that whole wheat is always better and this white wheat is great because it does not change the texture of the product.

Below is a picture of Mocha scones and Maple pecan scones.  They are darker because of the flavoring. 

I recommend using part white whole wheat in your baking recipes for better nutritional value.  The product looks and tastes great.

Note when I mix my scones I always use a pastry blender.  Recipes often tell you to use a fork when mixing the liquids with the dry.  I continue to use my pastry blender as this keeps the pastry flaky and does toughen as easily with gluten over development.

left maple pecan, right mocha

 

Maple Pecan Scones /  preheat oven to 375 degrees
3/4 c pecans
3/4 c butter
3/4 c milk with 1/2 t vinegar
2 c flour
1 c white whole wheat flour
1/2 c oatmeal
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 T starch
1/2  salt
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 t maple extract

Mix pecans, flours, salt, baking powder, oatmeal, brown sugar and cut in butter with a pastry blender until you have pea size chunks of dough.

In a separate container mix all liquids and egg together (beat to mix egg with other ingredients).  Make a well in the center and cut the liquid into the dry ingredient with the pastry blender.  Until blended well.  Dough should be somewhat sticky.  (I do not like overly dry scones)

Drop on baking sheet in 1-1/2 to 2 inch size scones.  Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.  They should spring back to touch.  They will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.


Mocha Scones / preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1/2 c brewed coffee
1/2 c milk
1/4 c sour cream
1/2 c butter
1 egg
1 t vanilla
2 c flour
1 c white whole wheat flour
1/2 c sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 c semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c white chips

In a bowl combine the flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, chips and cut in the butter with a pastry blender until you have pea size chunks of dough.

In a separate container mix all liquids, sour cream and egg together (beat with fork to mix) make a well with the dry ingredients, pour in the liquids and continue to cut with pastry blender until all is well blended.  Dough will be sticky.

Drop on baking sheet in 1-1/2 to 2 inch size scones.  Flatten slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.  They should spring back to the touch.

With love from your retired FACS teacher,

Jane

Remember to remind your children to practice kindness

As we get ready for school to start remember that no matter what age your children's might be, remind them to practice kindness to everyone. 

I know as a parent I wanted my children to be successful and good at the things that they do but being kind is also very important.

Sometimes children do horrible things to others to make themselves feel important and special.  Sometimes that behavior is the result of having too much, not having enough or even personality disorders that go undetected. 

Never the less avoiding the topic of kindness with your children is more harmful to them than approaching it while they are in school.

I think that everyone has a memory of someone in their school that was an outcast.  If you approached that person, ignored that person, or teased that person you remember.  You remember because you did not want to be that person and don't want that for your child either. 

One of my greatest memories as a teacher is about a child with special needs accidentally dropping a plate in the foods room.  It shattered everywhere.  She felt so bad that she cried because she didn't want people to think of her as special.  One of the boys in her group, who happened to be on the soccer team, took a plate in his hand, smiled and said, "Will you feel better if I drop one too?"  She smiled laughed and told him he was silly.  He made her feel so much better and he knew what to do in that instance. 

Some students are so uncomfortable with difference that they stay away or make fun.  Try to encourage your children to be accepting of all people no matter their race, how they speak, how they dress or appear.  Everyone deserves a chance.  If your children do not hear about being positive from home they will not know the difference between right and wrong.  If you talk to them about the treatment of others, and they make a mistake, and trust me they will;  they will hear you in the back of their mind reminding them to practice kindness.

I did not do everything perfect with my children.  They are sometimes sarcastic and sometimes appear to be harsh with others.  But I do know that deep in their souls they are kind, caring gentlemen that understand not everyone is the same.   And, I know that I haunt them on occasion.  Yep, that makes me smile because I know I did my job and helped them develop their moral compass. 

I don't remember many quotes from T.V. shows but one stands out from the show Roseanne.  I remember thinking, good writing.  One of the kids yelled at Roseanne and said, "I hate you!"  Roseanne yelled back, "Good, that means I am doing my job!" 

Don't be afraid to do your job, parent your children and teach them to be kind and accepting.

With Love from your retired FACS teacher,
Jane

Welcome To August

Random writing for me today.  I usually go through August in a panic.  I think about all of the things that I thought I would get done during the summer and have not achieved them, then try to do them in 20 short days.

As I have retired, and I do not have to go back to school I should not be in this panic mode.  My mind knows it but I still feel that way.  MMMM why is that?  I have personally set a goal that I would find a part time job early in the fall so I guess I put restrictions on myself to project that familiar anxiety. 

But I am not doing a very good job of "job hunting".  I have sent out 2 resumes all summer and I pretty much set myself up for no response from these people with the cover letters that I wrote.  Deep in my heart I really want to relax for a while unfortunately the bills will not get paid with me sitting here blogging for free.  (Smiling)

And ....I am a spender, much to my spouses disappointment. 

I have set myself up to substitute teach.  Hopefully that will help pay the health insurance bills.  I need career motivation.  I have big ideas, but that is just it, they are big and will take major work to accomplish.  Can't wait to see where I land.

On another note:

I wanted to share the link to the America's Breadbasket.  They have posted the finalist recipes for the Festival of Breads contest that I participated in, in June.  They made our products look so lovely.  Please check out the website and look and the grand recipes that were created for the contest.

http://www.americasbreadbasket.com/recipes/View/275

With love from your retired FACS teacher,

Jane