Moana Hawaiian Meal for Monday Funday

Becca here with a fun idea for a meal to go along with the Disney movie Moana that is coming out on DVD next week.  To decide if it's one your family wants to view, my two favorite sites to read reviews on are Common Sense Media and Focus on the Family's Plugged In.  My husband and I have been able to visit Hawaii a few times, and I was excited to share a small part of this unique culture, with a quick and easy meal, with the kids as part of our "Monday Funday".

We started the meal off talking a bit about how pineapples grow.  We were using canned pineapple slices for this meal, but get fresh pineapple often enough that the kids know what one looks like.  However, they were all surprised to learn that pineapple doesn't grow on a tree!  This is a cool video by Dole, showing exactly how pineapples are grown.  The kids loved that our pineapple was Dole brand also ;)

Next, we talked about Hawaii being the 50th state added to the United States, when their grandparents were about their ages, in 1959.  Hawaii also is the only place on US soil that has a royal palace!!  After the kids' questions about the palace and royalty exceeded my previous knowledge, we skimmed this article and learned about the history of Hawaii's Monarchy being overthrown.  It's definitely not a cheerful history, but is a prime example of how money, power, and greed can lead to disastrous results.  The kids noticed and found it very interesting that the "Dole" name is also a key player in this story as well.

I tried to get a 'real' whole coconut, but Arkansas in February meant that I wasn't able to locate one.  So we ate dried coconut instead, and will save the cracking a whole coconut open experience for another day.

The final part of our meal was Spam Musubi.  If you haven't traveled to Hawaii, or aren't aware of their food culture, this might seem shocking or crazy!  However, as I was telling our kids, this modern quintessential Hawaiian dish is served everywhere; at the 7-11 gas stations, restaurants, and even the Sam's Club Cafe!  Spam's popularity rose during and after World War II, because it was shelf stable, and able to make the long journey to Hawaii without spoiling.  Some Hawaiian chefs in fine restaurants have included Spam on their menu.  I used short grain brown rice, cooked in my Instant Pot at 15 minutes on high pressure, and an onigiri rice mold to form the rice.  I just topped it with a small slice of Spam I had browned in a skillet, and wrapped the whole thing in a seaweed wrap.  I will say that I had several people that were very skeptical about the taste of the Spam Musubi, but everyone actually really thought it was tasty, and had seconds.  President Obama even made the news when he ordered Spam Musubi while golfing in Hawaii!

The natural next discussion was about the history of Spam, which was really quite interesting!

We ended the night watching Moana.  The movie was okay to me, but the graphics were really amazing, and that's not something I usually note or comment on.  The water and scenery were really beautiful!!

Let me know if you have a Moana Meal, and what your family thinks!! Enjoy!

Tasting Rating Fun for Family Night - Monday Funday #1!

We recently had a fun family activity that I wanted to share!  I (Becca) have five kids, ages two to eleven, so it can be a bit tricky to find something the whole family can participate in and enjoy.  I've been trying to have a small activity to do after dinner, as a family, and this one was a bit hit!  We had a "Tasting Rating" of Kombucha.  You could use any food type that you can get a variety of brands or flavors of, there are lots of fun possibilities!  

For preparation, I visited our local health food store, and bought six different kinds of kombucha.  Then, I just quickly made a chart for us to record our scores on.  I went ahead and typed the name of the kombucha in the first column, since I have several non-readers/writers.  I printed each person in our family a copy, and then we were set to go!  During dinner, I went over the categories and made sure everyone understood the rating system.  We used 1-5, with 5 being the best, and doubled the "taste" category so that it had more weight than the "label", for example.  The categories we used were:  look of labeling, bottle, taste, nutrition, and overall.  I passed out saltine crackers to cleanse our palate between tastings, and we used this set of little cups that is one of my favorite things, to do the tastings in.

Everyone enjoyed the activity a lot, and it was fun to see how different people's tastes reacted either similarly or differently on the different drinks.  The kids had several great suggestions for further tastings, so we plan to do hot teas, potato chips, and chocolates next!  What is your suggestion for a tasting?  Let me know if your family tries it also!

These Are a Few of my Favorite {Summer} Things!

Becca here with some of my favorite summer recipes today!  With the school being out around here, and the 4th of July approaching, I thought it would be fun to highlight some of my favorites from the Thrice the Spice blog over the years.  Remember you can always use the search bar on the right sidebar to search by topic, ingredient, cooking method, etc.  You can also choose a category to browse on the right sidebar as well.  What are some of YOUR favorite summer treats & activities?

 

4th of July Flag Toast

and another idea for the 4th (also dye free!) 
Red, White, & Blue "Celebrate America" Dessert!

Fruit Butterfly Snacks

Fresh Lemonade

and while you're buying and juicing lemons, make this Simple Lemon Sugar Scrub for yourself or a quick gift!

Or, these 'Clean Eating' Lemon Bars are another tasty way to use lemons and enjoy a treat without going way overboard.

Strawberry Pina Colada Popsicles

I also make popsicles using just 100% fruit juice, or add frozen fruit or peas for an extra treat, although since we don't normally drink juice a juice popsicle is a treat in itself! 

These Orange Creamsicles are another delicious popsicle idea we've tried & enjoyed.

What is your favorite homemade popsicle 'recipe' or idea?  Enjoy! 

Trick "Eggs" {Great for April Fool's Day}

Becca here with a fun recipe that is a family tradition at our house.  And yes, I know April Fool's Day was yesterday, but I've been meaning to post this for a couple of years and keep forgetting, so now you'll have it to remember for next year's April Fool's Day, or to really surprise your kids with a fun trick some other random morning!  I first made these several years ago, and they were such a huge hit with the kids, that I've continued to make them every year.  My oldest two kids this year remembered and were SO excited to see the breakfast again and thought it was super fun.  My 3 year old didn't remember or realize that it wasn't an egg, and commented that it was a REALLY big egg he got for breakfast this morning, ha!  Perfect, and my older ones loved giggling, and being in on the joke.  My baby (who just turned 1 year old, so technically isn't a baby anymore :( was just happy to get a plate, she loves to eat!  Anyway, this is a super simple way that really looks realistic.  I've used apricot halves in the past also, but I don't think they look as realistic in color.  I use Stonyfield Organic French Vanilla yogurt, that's my favorite kind anyway, and I think it has the perfect texture for making a fake egg.  Let me know your kids' reactions when you make them these 'eggs' for breakfast!!  Enjoy!

Trick "Eggs"


Per person -
1 canned peach half (a large can has about 8)
4 ounces of yogurt (my favorite for this, texture & color, is Stonyfield Organic French Vanilla)


Using a large spoon, place the yogurt onto a plate in one big pile.  Use the back of the spoon to smooth it out a bit, in a kind of oval shape.  Keep it thick, because placing the peach 'yolk' on top will flatten it some also.


Drain the peach halves well.  Use another, clean, large spoon to carefully place the egg onto the yogurt.  I try and put them a bit off center, like a real egg :)


Adding breakfast meat or ham makes the meal look even more authentic!  Enjoy!

We also had our traditional (and the one time a year I buy any sort of boxed jello product or gummy worms :) flower bouquet 'dirt cup' pudding with crumbled oreos and gummy worms for dessert.  I've done this different ways in the past, in little terra cotta individual cups (lined with foil!) and with fake flowers, hidden worms, etc. but this year I went simple and used one large container and flowers out of our yard.  Such a simple thing, but something the kids love and look forward to as one of "our" annual family traditions.  I usually do meatloaf muffins with mashed potato 'icing' on top dyed with beet juice, we're still getting into the swing of things from moving a couple of weeks ago, and Tuesdays are my most difficult to get dinner on the table days anyway, so that will have to wait; I told the oldest kids that asked about it, that it would be an even bigger 'fool' when I do it later in April, since they won't be expecting it, and they were, fortunately, excited about that.  What are some of your favorite family traditions?

"Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder inspired Molasses Snow Candy

Becca here with a fun winter recipe!  I am reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House in the Big Woods" to my children again right now, and we decided to try making the molasses on snow candy that they describe making in Chapter 4.  The basic instructions in the book are given; Ma boiled molasses and sugar together to make a syrup, which the girls poured onto fresh snow in pans to let harden and cool.  They got to eat one piece each, and then the rest was saved for Christmas!  I found a more detailed recipe in "The World of Little House", and have elaborated on that below in my own instructions.  My kids thought it was really neat to make something just like Laura and Mary, and the end result has a rich, chewy but creamy texture that really is delicious!  If you have extra molasses, they are also used in these Hearty Healthy Breakfast Cookies that received lots of good reviews from my kids as well as other people's, and these {Best Ever} Molasses Cookies that are a new family favorite of ours!

There is also a really neat Virtual Field Trip here to all of the "Little House" home sites! 

You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe. (Pioneer Laura dress & bonnet are optional :)  I know, the candy thermometers make me nervous too, but my (8 year old) daughter actually made this recipe 99% by herself and it turned out great, so this is a great beginner candy thermometer recipe.  Mine is a really inexpensive one from Walmart, and I think this is the first or second time I've ever used it.

Molasses Snow Candy

1 cup molasses
1 cup brown sugar

Combine molasses and brown sugar in a medium saucepan.  The candy will bubble and rise up in the pan quite a bit once it starts heating up, so don't use your smallest saucepan!

Stir well to combine.  Then clip candy thermometer onto the side.  Slide it in the bracket until the tip is submerged, but NOT touching the bottom of the pan.

Turn heat on to low, and stir fairly consistently until temperature reaches the "hard crack" line on your candy thermometer, at 300 F. 

Meanwhile, start filling a couple of 9x13 pans with crushed ice.  I had my two boys doing this, while my daughter stirred, and they completed right about the same time.  Feel free to use snow instead of you have some good clean snow!

Quickly pour the (incredibly hot, this part is definitely for an adult!) mixture from the saucepan into a glass liquid measuring cup.  (I used a 2 cup Pyrex glass measuring cup & it was the perfect size).

Drizzle the (reminder again, this is scalding hot!) molasses over the ice.  I let my daughter pour by herself, but my sons held my hand as I poured to help.  And the baby sat in her highchair & watched :) 

It will harden pretty immediately as it cools.  As soon as it does, remove from the ice onto wax paper, removing any chunks of ice that might be sticking.  Enjoy!

Indoor Picnic

Hi everyone!  Are you staying warm?  I feel like that's the normal question that's being asked over and over around here this winter.  Although one day this week we had warm enough temperatures for a stroll outside and sidewalk chalk, today we are back to the grind of winter.  The cold all day grind.  It sure does have us dreaming of Spring. 

For now, my girls and I have decided to make the merriest of our days inside.  Even with such a positive outlook sometimes it can feel a bit cooped up, can't it? 

I have an idea for you, that is perfect for a your children, a date night, or even a winter birthday party!  An indoor picnic.  This particular day we were stuck in and still in our jammies, but needing something a little extra special.  I had my older daughter go in the other room so I could surprise her and then set up this simple picnic. 

I laid a picnic blanket down that I picked up at the thrift store, clearance paper plates from Target, an artificial flower in a vase I crafted, and stuck some paper butterflies in mini pots, to give the feeling of being outdoors. 

I prepared some simple finger foods to top it all off!  My oldest daughter said "This is neat!!" and both girls really enjoyed themselves. 

I can't wait to hear how you enjoy the merriment of your own indoor picnic! 

Sara 

Christmas Recipe Ideas

With Christmas quickly approaching, many of you may be planning ahead for the meals you will be having on or around the holidays!  Whether you are hosting a large gathering, or making memories with your immediate family at home, I think it is always special to make things that are out of the ordinary, and special to celebrate such a wonderful day!  My sisters and I have been posting our recipes to this blog for a little over 2 years now, and it is a joy!  Personally, I use the 'search box' on the right hand side of the blog at least once a week to quickly pull up a recipe that I have made, or have seen my sisters post about and want to try!  If you haven't utilized this method yet, give it a try!  We also have an area on the right hand size of the blog that gives categories, such as 'chicken', 'dessert', or 'DIY'.  Clicking on these words will allow you to scroll through recipes that pertain to that specific label. 

Below, I am going to share some of our past recipes that I think would make delicious food for serving this Christmas!  Click on the recipe title below, and it will take you to the recipe!

Roasted Sugared Almonds

Creamy Hot Chocolate

Chicken Enchilada Roll-ups

DIY Mocha Mix

Brunch Coffee Cake

Chocolate Toffee Bars

Pasta Fagioli Soup

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Pumpkin Breakfast Bake

Snow Day Play: Inside!

Hi everyone! In our part of the state (Arkansas) we recently had a whole week of snow!  I know we get teased in these parts about not being able to handle the roads and such but the truth is we don't have the equipment capable of cleaning them off effectively.  So they get left very, very icy and we get stuck inside.  Can I admit I actually had a blast being "stuck" inside with my gals for six days straight?  Minus one afternoon when I was ready to escape, we really enjoyed ourselves!

Having a one-year old AND a two-year old means it takes a long time to get suited up to go outside and then everyone isn't always having fun in the ice cold snow.  I decided to fix that problem by bringing the fun inside!  I scooped up bowls of fresh snow and brought them into our kitchen for the girls to play in.

I provided a few props like mini Christmas trees, cups and bowls, spoons, and a cookie sheet for building a mini snowman.  We had such fun exploring the snow within the warm, cozy walls of our house.  The girls had a blast and I did too!

If you find yourself on one snow day too many, I encourage you to bring the fun indoors!
Sara

Vintage Pastel Bday Party Decor

Hi everyone!  My youngest daughter recently celebrated her FIRST birthday!  What an exciting time for our family.  We wanted to celebrate her in style and so I decided to create a table-scape with vintage, pastel details.  I'm excited to share them with you today!
 
For the backdrop I created a fabric garland by cutting up a vintage sheet, and then tying the strips of fabric onto a piece of string.  The pom-pom garland is something I purchased at a handmade market and layered on top of the sheet garland.  I conveniently hung both of these up on the curtain rod in our dining room, creating a nice party backdrop!

The centerpiece was created with a round wood slice my husband cut for me.  I then added a vintage Mason Jar, small vase from the Target $1 spot a couple of years back, some vintage books, a few sewing pattern flowers (handmade by me), and a deer ornament from Target (this year!).

Last, the tablecloth was actually a drape I found for $1 at a local thrift store.  I was so pleased with how this simple, sweet party decor turned out.  I hope you're inspired to gather some of your favorite items to create your own unique party table!
Sara

Popcorn Party

Raise your hand if you love popcorn!

I would definitely raise two hands to that.  And both feet if I could.  We are popcorn lovers at our house.  We make our own by using simple ingredients-popcorn kernels and a brown paper bag.  Simply put 1/4 cup popcorn kernels in the brown paper bag and heat in the microwave.  I usually let ours pop for about one minute and 55 seconds.  We always add a bit of melted butter and salt to ours afterwards and it is delicious!  

One afternoon we had a popcorn party, Anna and I. 

We popped popcorn, read/talked about two books about corn, and talked about the different parts of an ear of corn.  Anna even decided to peel the ear of corn!  

Later we talked again about all we had learned while decorating a journal page with corn husk stickers and looking at Nana's corn stalks in her garden. 

A teachable, sweet little moment with my gal. 

Apple Party

Take a peek at a little apple party my sis and I had for our kiddos recently!  My girls and I were having a bit of a long week with my husband working a lot so I was trying to think of some fun, fall-themed activities to do.  We are crazy about apples so I thought a little apple party would be fun and easy to pull together.  

I checked out some apple books from the library, we ate a variety of apples, and painted with apples! 

I brought apple butter along too but it didn't end up getting opened. Maybe next time!

 The kids enjoyed stamping with the apples for a few minutes but then generally wanted a cleaner way to paint.  Except for this sweet girl!  She painted her whole entire apples. :)  

I hope you'll have an apple party of your own! 

"Moon Cake"

 

 
 

 

Jana here with a recipe that is a great learning activity for your children!  This is my first year to homeschool (my son turned 5 this summer), and we are using the My Father's World curriculum this year. When we had a unit on the moon, there was a recipe at the back that you could use to make a 'moon cake'.  My older two children (ages 5 and 3) love to help in the kitchen, so I knew this would be a great activity!  Not only did they love helping (it has you make 'craters' in the 'moon sand', make a small 'volcano', etc as you mix the ingredients), but the end result was super tasty as well! 

Moon Cake

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 cup milk
3/4 cup raisins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9" round cake pan.

2. Mix 'moon sand' right in the pan. (flour, brown sugar, sugar, and salt)

3. Form 3 craters in the moon - one large, one medium, and one small.  Add oil to large crater, baking soda to medium crater, and vanilla to small crater.

4. Pour vinegar into the medium crater and watch it bubble like a volcano.  When the volcano stops, add 1 cup milk.  Mix everything together to form the moon's surface. 

5. Optional: Press 3/4 cup raisins ('moon rocks') into the batter.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick in the center comes out clean.  When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar ('moon dust')

Picnic

Hi everyone!  Today I'm sharing a post from my personal blog, The Rosy Life (http://therosylife.blogspot.com) that I wrote about a recent picnic we had.  With the summer months ahead, I hope that you'll make time for your family to picnic.  There is just something about breathing in the great outdoor air as you dine, and not worrying about a mess that is just so relaxing! 

There are so many ways you could creatively picnic as well-a breakfast picnic could include sausage, pancakes, or waffles, or how about a simple ice cream picnic?  The sky is the limit!  It doesn't have to be a whole meal, and doesn't need to take hours to prepare.  

Enjoy! 
Sara 

Dear farm picnic,

 Dear  farm picnic,

 You were a fantastic idea.

 I found a deep, settled kind of happy among your rows of cut hay.

 Easy to throw together, your dining style was relaxed and carefree. With little to clean-up.  That made this mama's heart sing. 

 Had I not met and married this wonderful man I would have missed out on the beauty of you. 

 Your dining style suited Anna Ruth as well.....eating her way through her dinner, hole by hole.

 Sandwiches of pumpernickel bread, horseradish, turkey, pepperjack cheese, and pickles make my mouth water to remember. 

You provided plenty of entertainment for these two, not a toy in sight.

Chip bags to chew on, fields to explore, daisies to admire.

Thank-you farm picnic for a dreamy dinner, just a few feet away from the back door.

You were right in all kinds of ways.

Your food was delicious, your mood carefree.

Until next time,

A mama who's fallen head over heels in love with the farm life