Eat Your Science Homework Review

If you've followed our blog for any amount of time, you know that cooking is a passion of mine. Not only do I love to cook delicious meals and bake yummy treats for my family, but I believe that it's important to teach my kids those skills, as well. You can often find one of my little ones in the kitchen scrambling eggs, baking a cake from scratch, or chopping veggies for a snack. And just like I thrive on working in the kitchen, they feel the same way about performing science experiments. They get excited about the hands-on learning. They are enthralled watching reactions. They love learning the hows and whys things work. Cooking and science go hand-in-hand. Combining the two in our school day is pretty much perfection.

Ann McCallum Books were written by a teacher with a Master in Education. Ann has written several award-winning children's books. Many of her books focus on learning concepts. Eat Your Science Homework is one such book. 

Eat Your Science Homework: Recipes for Inquiring Minds is a book that teaches science with edible projects. Each section highlights a scientific idea. It starts with a description, is followed by a step-by-step recipes, and concludes with an additional activity that correlates to the study.

Recipes:

• Atomic Popcorn Balls
• Density Dressing & Veggie Sticks
• Invisible Ink Snack Pockets
• Loop, Whorl, & Arch Cookies
• Sedimentary Pizza Lasagna
• Black Hole Swallow-Ups

 

Ann has a down-to-earth way of explaining science concepts. Her book reads like a story. I read each section aloud to my kids (9, 7, 5, 3) and had only a few times where I had to stop to explain something further. Of course, the level of understanding with vary depending on the age of the child. My 9-year-old has a deeper knowledge of science than his 3-year-old little brother, obviously, but the book held the attention of them all equally. That is an important aspect to a homeschooling mom who is teaching multiple ages at once. Some of the concepts are easier to grasp, while others are more complex.

 
The recipes themselves were the kiddos favorite part. The loved mixing and creating in the kitchen. I supervised, but they did most of the work themselves. The recipes are easy enough to be completed by the students. The majority of the ingredients are items that we keep stocked in the house: i.e. cheese, sausage, bbq sauce, pepperoni, popcorn, (not all in the same recipe though, ha!) There are some ingredients required, like refrigerated pizza dough and pancake mix, that we never purchase. I appreciate that they were chosen for this book for their convenience and ease, but we decided to make them ourselves like we always do.

Though the book is written at an elementary level, there are multiple scientific words woven throughout. Each of these words is in bold to draw attention and then defined in the glossary in the back of the book. There is also a review section that discusses the scientific method, atoms and molecules (Atomic Popcorn Balls), properties of matter (Density Dressing & Veggie Sticks & Invisible Ink Snack Pockets), inherited traits (Loop, Whorl, & Arch Cookies), rocks and minerals (Sedimentary Pizza Lasagna), and our solar system (Black Hole Swallow-Ups).

This book is just a sampler of scientific ideas and not meant to be a full curriculum, but if you'd like to take the learning even further, there is also an educator's guide that is filled with more activities and experiments that accompany the concepts in this book. (Any resource that teaches melting point by experimenting with cheese and chocolate is worth looking into!)

Eat Your Science Homework was a huge hit in our house. The kiddos would ask first thing in the morning if they could do their science. Before we even finished the book, they asked if we could get the other Eat Your Homework books. I have a feeling we'll be eating our math or history soon. Yum!


If you'd like to see how other homeschool families used this book or one of the other fun books offered by Ann McCallum books, please read more reviews on the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog.

 

Tasty Tuesday: 15 Cookie Recipes

If you're a friend of ours on Facebook, you may have seen that yesterday was National Homemade Cookies Day! We're all about the homemade cookies here. We shared some recipes throughout the day on our page, but I thought it would be fun to make a list of the cookies we've posted over the last couple years. Here are 15 recipes. All yummy, all made in our tiny kitchen, all made with the help of little ones. Try one, or try them all! You just can't go wrong with cookies.

Each post lists any tips or alterations that I suggest. Some of the help comes from things we learned the hard way. Others have come from years of use.

1. apple cookies These are a great way to use up a couple apples and a perfect recipe for fall. Or spring. Or whenever.

2. Ben & Jerry's chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (and cookies) We made this recipe for cookie dough ice cream and needed only half. We baked the other half, of course, and promptly ate those. These are the cookies I made today in celebration of National Homemade Cookies Day.

3. chocolate chip cookies This is one of two of our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes. Don't let the picture fool you. These cookies are nice and plump . . . when you have a certain fresh ingredient.

4. chocolate chip cookie bars Not truly a cookie in a traditional cookie sense, but they're cookie-y enough for me. And easy. And yummy.

5. double stuffed fauxreos Oreos? Yes, please! And next time, make them mint.

6. giant chocolate chip cookie What is better than a chocolate chip cookie??? A giant chocolate chip cookie! There's no need to run to a bakery to get one though. This recipe produces a thick, tasty, soft cookie that's perfect for a celebration or just because.

7. ginger cookies These are big and soft and all gingery, making them a delicious cold-weather cookie. The sugar coating and crackly surface makes them a pretty treat, too.

8. no bake cookies These cookies are not pretty by any means. But who needs pretty when you have peanut butter and chocolate??? Besides, if no one wants to try them because their looks are far from appealing, that just means more cookies for you! And more is always a good thing.

9. peanut butter cookies with Reese's pieces This is my personal peanut butter cookie recipe that I tweaked and fine-tuned until I got a cookie that is bursting with peanut butter, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and all-around delicious.

10. peanut butter patties This was our first attempt at a Girl Scouts cookie copy-cat. While it was a bit of work, the recipe has promise. Using the few alterations that are listed, you'll produce a cookie that can be sold door-to-door. Or at least taste like it should be. 

11. shortbread sandwich cookies These are soft, buttery cookies filled with your choice of yummy goodness. We tried both strawberry jam and Nutella. It's amazing how something so simple can taste so good.

12. sour cream cookies If you're looking for a light and airy cookie, these are the ones for you. These cakey cookies are quite yummy. I prefer them plain, but the add-ins are easily adaptable to your tastes.

13. spritz cookies This is the recipe we always use with our cookie press. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? They taste yummy and are so, so cute.

14. stained glass sugar cookies These cookies will definitely stir up some attention at a gathering. They're so pretty and impressive, but are actually quite simple to make. My little ones made them almost completely by themselves.  

15. sugar cookies If you need a sugar cookie recipe, this is it. These are so soft, so flavorful, so perfect. They hold up well to frosting, but they don't even need it. The cookies themselves really have enough flavor to be eaten alone. Just one thing - do not over-bake them. If the edges are brown, you've baked them too long. Otherwise, they're perfect.

Mmm, now I'm hungry! I am definitely a sweets girl and could eat cookies probably every day. If you try any of these recipes, let us know how they turned out. We love to hear your thoughts!

Did you celebrate National Homemade Cookies Day? If not, pretend that it's tomorrow. What cookies would you make in honor of the day?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to eat a #2 . . .

Everyday Homemaking

I love to cook! I know, that must come as a surprise to you all. (Did you catch that sarcasm?)  The kitchen is my favorite place to be. It's where I spend the majority of my time. You can tell from our Tasty Tuesday recipes that I love to bake and cook from scratch. It's the way I was taught. My parents (yes, both my parents are phenomenal cooks) make gourmet meals. My dad is the one who is always asked to bring desserts to gatherings. I got my love of cooking from them, just like I hope to pass it on to my own children. 

As part of the Molly Crew, the homemaking division of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was given the choice to review The Everyday Family Chore System or Everyday Cooking from Vicki Bentley at Everyday Homemaking. Since we are insanely organized and my kids are perfect angels when it comes to chores, we obviously didn't need the chore guide. (More sarcasm there.)  I chose the cooking one. Ok, so maybe it was my obsession with cookbooks.

Everyday cooking ($17.99 coil-bound, $14.99 pdf) is a collection of tried-and-true recipes. It's filled with tips to help you with simple everyday cooking. (Appropriate title, huh?) And if there's anyone who might know a few tips and definitely has some tried recipes, it's Vicki Bentley. She is the mother of 8 and the foster mother of over 50 children! I think she's cooked a meal or two over the years.

The 150+ recipes are divided into categories:

• Appetizers & Dressings
• Bread & Grains
• Main Dishes & Soups & Sides
• Desserts & Snacks

The recipes have an emphasis on whole foods, which I love. I'm definitely a if-I-can-make-it-from-scratch-I-probably-will kind of girl. There are recipes for taco seasoning, cheese sauce, salad dressings, sandwich buns, barbeque sauce, onion soup mix, frostings, ice cream, and more. Some of the recipes are the same or very similar to ones I've been making for years. One recipe that I'm very excited to try is tortillas. I've seen other recipes for them and have been wanting to make them for a while, but have been a little hesitant. Vicki makes it sound so simple though. I'll let you know when I get over my reluctance and make them.

Even if you're typically not a from-scratch person or really don't know how or don't like *gasp*  to cook, this cookbook is still for you. The recipes are simple. They're tried-and-true, remember? You won't find recipes for beef wellington, lobster tails, or steak Diane (for those recipes, see my parents.) These are all meals that a novice can make. She even includes helpful sections at the back of the book. You'll find a spot for measurements, ingredient substitution, meal planning, sample menu, and info about kitchen equipment. 

Other than the lack of pictures, I really liked this book. Yes, I'm a recipe junky, but I think you'll like this book, too. And from what I see here, I'm guessing the chore system is a good one as well. I'll keep that in mind. You know, if ever I become un-ultra organized and my kids lose their angel status. *cough cough*  

You can read more reviews of both products from Everyday Homemaking on the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog.

* Disclaimer: As a member of the Molly Crew I received this pdf for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Tasty Tuesday: Erika's 30th Birthday Cake - Chocolate Turtle Cake

My beautiful wife turned 30 on Saturday. If you've been reading since this time last year you might remember the "joys" of the "Perfect Chocolate Cake". This year there was the same debate over whether or not Erika should bake her own birthday cake. This time I said, "yes" and she said, "no." She picked a cake that wouldn't cause me to curdle any ingredients. The cake this year was much easier than last years, so I went with it and called the kids in the kitchen. I wasn't doing this on my own.

Wait a minute.... I didn't call them in right away. I got all the ingredients ready so the process would go smoothly. This included unwrapping some 14,000 little caramels. Well.... maybe not that many. Closer to 14 oz worth, but that is still like 50 or more. Either way, if you've ever tried to unwrap a bunch of those little things in one go you probably know just how frustrating it can be. After about five of them I began to seek a better way. This is what I came up with:

Click on the picture to read the descriptions.

With that done, I am now ready for help. We started with only the freshest ingredients.

Make cake mix as described on box.

BUT ONLY HALF OF THE MIX GOES IN THE PAN RIGHT NOW! Oh, did I mention, only half of the cake mix goes in the 13x9 pan right now.

While the first half of the cake bakes at 350 for 22 minutes you can make the caramel center. Heat the 14,000,000 caramel cubes you unwrapped on medium heat with the evaporated milk. Keep this moving. In other words, stir constantly. Believe it or not the caramel was just getting to a liquid state when the cake was done in the oven.

Pour the caramel over the freshly baked half-cake. Sprinkle this with the chocolate chips. And then pour the remainder of the cake batter over the top. Pop this back in the oven for another 25-28 minutes. Remove and let cool for 30 minutes. Yes, this is a cake you must remain patient for.

And now, ENJOY! Don't forget the ice cream, you must have the ice cream. A little caramel and chocolate sauce never hurt either.

When we asked Jake what he thought of the cake, he gave it a "thumbs up" and then said, "Times one thousand." I think that means he liked it.

Chocolate Turtle Cake

Ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil’s food cake mix       

water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 bag (14 oz) caramels
½ cup evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
ice cream or whipped cream, if desired

caramel and chocolate toppings, if desired

chopped pecans, if desired

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan.
2. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour half of the batter into pan. Bake 22 minutes. Refrigerate remaining batter.
3. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat caramels and evaporated milk over medium heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted. Stir in pecans. Pour caramel mixture over warm cake in pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Spread with remaining batter. Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cool at least 30 minutes. Serve with ice cream, drizzle with toppings and sprinkle with pecans. Store loosely covered.

Vintage Remedies - Review

My family likes to eat. Can you believe it? Yours probably does too, huh?  We certainly eat our fair-share of sweets as you can tell from most of our Tasty Tuesday recipes, but what you don't see are all the other times when we eat healthy - and we like to eat healthy. In fact, just the other day the kids were fighting over brussel sprouts, and a few weeks ago I mentioned how Jake (6 yr) begged for asparagus. I often refer to my kids as little bunny rabbits because they love their veggies. I laugh every time they pick out the fresh spinach from the salad - to eat it first!

I enjoy learning and then teaching the kids about nutrition and eating healthy. This is where Vintage Remedies comes into the picture. The company is founded by Jessie Hawkins, who wrote the books because she was eager to share her wealth of knowledge with others. 

The book we received is Vintage Remedies for Kids ($25.) It's geared for kids ages 2-6 and is designed specifically for parents to teach their children about eating healthy and natural living.  Its 18 chapters are divided into 3 sections: Food & Drink, Health & Wellness, and Healthy Lifestyles. Each chapter begins with a parents section packed full of information and is followed by a read to me section that you read directly with the kids. 

The book also suggests many activities like going to a farm, growing your own garden, watching bugs, and using reusable shopping bags and includes recipes like elderberry pancakes, homemade gum drops, garlic oil, and calendula balm. While we partake in many of those things already, it was fun to see some new ideas. The kids especially like the hands-on part. 

There are many other books  in the Vintage Remedies collection. One of them is the Kitchen Herbal which they graciously sent along to review. This book teaches about 18 traditional culinary herbs and includes recipes like artichoke and parsley frittata, cheddar dill cornbread muffins, and cheesy mustard fondue. Yum! 

You definitely should check out the website and see which book(s) work best for your family. You're bound to find something you just can't live without!

 

Don't forget to stop by the Crew blog to read other reviews of Vintage Remedies HERE. 

* I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

     

Theory Thursday: Invent Your Own Cake Recipe

Jake turned 6 years old this past Thursday, and you know what that means - new-found abilities! Remember when he turned 4-and-a-half? He made his own cupcakes completely by himself. Now, at 6, that's too simple for him. We had to step it up a bit. And what better way to accomplish that than to combine new capabilities with science? 

When I first saw this activity, I knew we had to do it. Jake's birthday was the perfect opportunity.  Sure, the kids have made cakes by themselves before, but I always helped with the measuring. Oh, and one more thing - there was always a written recipe.

Until now.

Here I was allowing my barely 6 year old and my 3 (and-a-half!) year old free reign (mostly) in the kitchen. They were choosing the ingredients. They were choosing the amounts. Had I gone crazy??? I was starting to think that it was possible.

First thing we did was talk about what ingredients were needed for a cake. Instantly, the two of them were able to list off flour, sugar (white or brown), butter, eggs, baking powder, and vanilla. Not too bad all on their own.

Next, Jake cut and pasted the ingredients he wanted to use from the forms.

But not every ingredient he wanted was on the list . . . so he wrote them in.

I stood there reading "marshmallows, maple syrup, butterscotch (chips), and white chocolate (chips)."  Yep, this was going to be a sweet cake for sure.

Once the ingredient list was created, Jake and Alyssa set out to gather the supplies . . . with a little help from Mommy to reach the ones way up high.

Now that we're all set, let's start experimenting!

 Measuring sugar requires extreme concentration. Sticking out your tongue helps to accomplish that.

He started with equal parts butter and sugar. After beating and a taste-test, it was determined that he needed more sugar.

He added the eggs, one at a time. Then moved on to the dry ingredients.

Cinnamon is a requirement for anything Jake bakes.

So is flour all over the counter and on his clothes. Both are a necessity.

He eventually did let Alyssa help with some of the preparation. 

There's a tongue again. Must be serious work.

We were out of mini marshmallows, so they decided to use marshmallow cream instead. Of course, the cream is sticky. And of course you always get some of your fingers. And of course you have to lick it off.

Though, that may have been the theme of the entire activity: lick it off. They were constantly tasting the batter as each addition was made. Hey, when you're making your own recipe, you have to taste to see if it's right!

Jake decided to add only 1 teaspoon of milk to the bowl. He hates white milk. (Smart kid!) He was afraid that the more milk he added, the more it was going to taste like pure milk. I could have encouraged him to use more, but this was a teaching moment. I didn't say a word. Instead, I figured he would notice that the batter was much too dry once they added the dry ingredients to the wet.

And I was right. He recognized right away that the cake batter looked more like cookie dough. I asked why he thought that was. "Because it needs more liquid, " was his reply. Again I say, smart kid! 

He added 1/3 cup more milk. Still a little too dry.

Added about 2/3 cup more, just right.

This was the part that both kids looked forward to the entire time - adding the butterscotch and white chocolate chips! A few chips may or may not have gotten eaten during the process.

Look at that consistency. Not too thick, not too thin - just right! Time to bake!

Jake climbed up on the step stool, turned on the oven light, and peered at his creation. Every. two. minutes. To say that he was excited is an understatement. Though I have to admit, I checked it a few times myself!

And then it was time to allow the cake to cool. I was in the biggest hurry at this point since we had somewhere to be and I still had 15 million things to do in the next 30 minutes. I did not take the time to question why the cake was not releasing from the pan. Jake thoroughly coated it with non-stick spray; there was no reason why it would be stuck.

Oh, yeah, the chips! All his precious chips sunk to the bottom of the pan and melted, leaving a browned - but tasty - crust. I was much more careful with the second pan. (Until I grabbed a potholder a bit later and carelessly bumped the cake, breaking off pieces. But we won't talk about that.)

Now was the moment of truth. How did the cake taste? We asked an unbiased judge, who did not have any part in the experimenting process, to taste the cake.

And the verdict is???

It's a winner!!!

I was pleasantly surprised by how good the cake tasted! It didn't even need the chips to sweeten it (though the kids disagree.) Jake proclaimed, "I think this is the bestest cake I've ever eaten!" I was starting to get a little concerned that my 2 little ones were able to create a cake that was better than any I had ever made following a recipe. But then he followed his statement with, "Well, other than Boston cream pie." It made me feel a little better.

Seriously though, I was quite impressed listening to their conversation and watching them measure the ingredients, taste the batter along the way, and actually produce a yummy cake . . . all by themselves! I never once told them what they had to do or that they couldn't do a certain thing. If they needed guidance, I asked them questions to get them to think. They came up with the conclusions all on their own. I can honestly say, this cake was 100% their own.


I have to admit, I am very proud of my children. If they can create a recipe, prepare the cake, and produce something delicious at their young ages, just think what they'll be able to accomplish when they're older! They'll put their mother's baking to shame, I'm sure.

And you know, I wouldn't have it any other way.




Jake's Special Cake (invented and named by Jake)
Ingredients:
1/2 c butter                                             2 c flour
1 c sugar                                                 2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs                                                     1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla                                            1/4 tsp salt
1 c milk                                                  3/4 c white chocolate chips
3 Tbsp syrup                                           1/2 c butterscotch chips
1/4 c marshmallow cream


Directions:
1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, milk, syrup, and marshmallow; mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Once batter is smooth, stir in white chocolate and butterscotch chips.
4. Pour into two 9" round cake pans. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.


Linked to Watcha Making Wednesday