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Luke’s Gruffalo Party!

2011

Luke’s Gruffalo Party & Puppet Show

Luke decided he wanted a Gruffalo party {read that, I suggested it, and he said yes}. So, I enlisted some serious help with the great Rachel Nigh, who once again impressively delivered. She made Gruffalo character pictures for the wall, as well as an entire puppet show stage and 5 {mostly} sock puppets. Mom and I worked all the day the previous day making chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes and lots of snacks, including chips & salsa, pasta salad, and tabbouleh.

Now, I will tell you I wasn’t sure how the puppet show would go- but, as usual, all things Rachel does turn out well. Luke was thrilled with the puppet show and kept running up to the stage in delight, then around the back to see how it was happening, then asking Bethany and Rachel {the puppeteers} what they were doing? It was a lot of fun for all the kids, I think.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon associate, if you buy the book I linked to, I will receive some {paltry} amount of cash.  I’m all for it, just wanted you to know.  As always, I am recommending books/DVDs I already own and therefore can vouch for myself!

 

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Luke’s Birthday!

2011

I am skipping Menu Plan Monday because it’s a weird week and I just don’t feel like it.  Such a rebel, I know.  Anyway, yesterday my boy turned 3, and we had such a fun day filled with great, creative, well-received gifts with a super-excited sister, a pancake and sausage breakfast, then church, then Burger King, then naps, then dinner with friends that involved a splash pool and lots of treats…what a day!  Here is a quick snapshot of our morning…

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Happy Birthday, Luke!!

2011

Okay, so Luke’s birthday isn’t until tomorrow, but we’re celebrating his 3rd birthday today with our play group buddies for a Gruffalo  party.  {more on that later!}  Luke has been anticipating his Gruffalo party and cookie dough cupcakes for weeks, as well as Mamama’s visit…well now that Mamama is here, Luke seems to have forgotten that he has a birthday coming up.  As his mama, I simply cannot let that happen.  Plus, I just love birthdays, especially those of my precious ones!!

Sweet Luke, you are such a funny wee man!  I had no idea that my sleepy, tender little baby would turn into such a fun-loving, hilarious 3 year old.  You make us all laugh so much of the time, you little imp.  You are still a mama’s boy and a cuddler, but you have expanded your inner circle of trust to your friends and family.  You are very loyal, and you love those who spend time with you.  You also love to sing and show me stuff you can do, saying, “Mommy, look what can I do!”

You have had so much change the past few months- glasses, a patch, no paci, and potty training.  But you have handled it all like a champ and such a big boy.  You love your big boy pants and being more like your sister- in fact, you can’t wait to share a room with Bekah soon.  I’m pretty interested in how that goes- I think you two might talk all night.

Luke, I just love you to pieces.  I have such a soft spot in my heart for you, and you know it.  You just melt me in a way I wasn’t prepared for.  You’re really hard to say no to, especially when you bat your eyes and grin at me.  I want to give you the world.  As it is, my prayer for you is that you would continue to grow in the security of Jesus’ and our love and grow into the child and man God has designed you to be.  I am so excited to learn more about you the next year- I’m pretty sure you will have a lot of words in the next 365 days.

I love you, buddy.

 

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Menu Plan Monday: Josh’s Birthday {34!}

2010

Happy birthday, Josh!

I've loved each of the 10 years I've known you, Josh!

You know me, I love birthdays, especially of those closest to my heart!  So, since Josh is turning 34 on Monday and it’s Memorial Day, and he was born shortly after my mother-in-law left a Memorial Day picnic, it seems fitting to celebrate with a barbecue.  So, Josh will grill something delicious, and he asked for German potato salad and chocolate bread pudding.   I will also make him coconut cream pie, because as he says it himself, he “never met a pie he didn’t like.”  See below for recipes.  :)

  • Monday: Birthday BBQ, German Potato Salad, coconut cream pie, and chocolate bread pudding
  • Tuesday: Potato Leek Soup, crusty bread, salad
  • Wednesday: Left-Overs
  • Thursday: *Arby’s sandwiches, french fries (Thanks to Kate for this link)
  • Friday: Turkey Vegetable Soup (amazingly delicious), crusty bread, Caesar salad
  • Saturday: Chicken Nuggets, fries, fruit (left-over Arby’s sauce for fries)
  • Sunday: Left-Overs

German-Style Potato Salad

4 medium pot’s (about 1 1/4 #) cooked and sliced (skin can be off or on)

4 slices bacon

1/2 c chopped red onion

2-3 stalks of celery, sliced

1/2 c water

1/2 c vinegar

1t sugar

Cook and slice potatoes.  Then, cut the bacon into small pieces and fry the bacon.  While the bacon is finishing cooking, add the water, sugar, and vinegar.  Mix the bacon mixture and the potatoes and add s&p as needed.  Keep at room temp until time to serve.

Coconut Cream Pie

3/4 c sugar

1/4 c cornstarch or 1/2 c flour

3 c milk

4 eggs

1 T margarine/butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c flaked coconut, separated into 1 c and 1/2 cup (for toasting for topping)

1 baked pastry shell

whipped cream

For filling, in a med sauce pan, combine sugar and cornstarch or flour.  Gradually stir in milk.  Cook and stir (it will scorch if you don’t keep stirring) over med-hi heat till mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.

Separate egg yolks from whites, reserving yolks.  Beat yolks with a fork.  Gradually stir 1 c of hot filling into eggs (keeps eggs from scrambling).  Return to pan; bring to a gentle boil.  Cook and stir 2 more minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in marg/butter, coconut, and vanilla.  Pour hot filling into cooled baked pastry shell.

You can do meringue, but I don’t like it.  We cool the pie all day in the fridge and top with whipped cream and toasted coconut.  Thanks, Phyllis, for that tip!

I make my own pastry shell, but you can buy one pre-made.  I usually bake it as I make the filling.

Turkey Vegetable Soup

1 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
454g (1 lb.) minced turkey
Garlic powder, oregano, cumin & celery salt
8 cups chicken broth/stock
2 medium potatoes, cut up with skin on
227g (or 1/2 lb.) green beans, cut
3 carrots, cut
227g (or 1/2 lb.) courgette (zucchini), halved & sliced
1 can any kind of beans, drained & rinsed (I use kidney beans!)
(Tabasco, to taste- I omit)
1 cup spaghetti/pasta sauce
1 TBSP dry basil (I use fresh if I have it)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped parsley

Directions:

Brown the onion in oil.
Add turkey & saute with spices until cooked.  Transfer turkey mixture to a stock pot.
Add broth, potatoes, green beans & carrots and bring to a boil.  Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Add courgette & beans and simmer 10 more minutes, covered.
Meanwhile, stir together in a bowl: more garlic powder, pasta sauce, basil, Parmesan cheese & parsley.
Add above mixture to simmering soup.
Top w/ cooked elbow macaroni and more Parmesan cheese if desired.
(Makes a ton!)

*Tip for Arby’s Sauce: Kate also turned me onto saving an old ketchup squirty container and funneled the sauce into that for easy squirting and storage.

For more menus, check out MPM at Org Junkie.

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Menu Plan Monday: On the Go in Scotland

2010

Going on Vacation!

Isle of Skye

Well, with my mom here and Josh at a conference in England, we did eat out a lot last week, which was a real treat!!  So, I saved a good number of our meals for this week- we will be here until Thursday morning, when we will pack up and head out to the West Coast/Isle of Skye for 5 days, with a stop in Inverness to see the Loch Ness Monster on our way back on Monday.  I booked us self-catering cabins, so we can make a quick breakfast there in the am’s, eat out for lunch while we are touring, and then I will cook at night when we are in for the day.  My mom’s flight should be for Wednesday, the 28th, but with the volcanic ash and all the delays, we are not sure if that will really happen.  We are just soooo glad she was able to be here in time for Luke’s 2nd birthday party on Saturday!!

(for more menus, check out Org Junkie)

Menu Plan Monday

On Saturday, we celebrated Luke’s 2nd birthday!  I did an UP theme for his party, and I have a post about it tomorrow and how to do it- so check back if you want those details.  Also, a couple people mentioned wanting the recipes for the cakes.  Here they are:

Italian Cream Cake

Italian Cream and Chocolate Coke Cakes

Cooking spray

2 t flour

1/3 c butter, softened

1 ¼ c sugar

2 large egg yolks (save whites for later)

2 c flour

1t baking soda

1/4t salt

1 c low-fat buttermilk

¼ c finely chopped pecans, toasted

1 t coconut extract (DELICIOUS!)

Now Up-ified for the festivities!

1t vanilla

6 (total) large egg whites (can use 2 from earlier)

shredded coconut as garnish (optional, does add fat)

Frosting:

1 T butter

½ c (5oz) reduced fat cream cheese

3 ½ c pow’d sugar

1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.

To prepare cake, coat bottoms of 2 (9-in) round cake pans with cooking spray (NOT sides of pan).  Line bottoms with wax paper.  Spray and dust with flour.

{I forgot to buy wax paper.  So, I sprayed the bottom of a 9×13 with Pam and dusted it with flour, and then just left the cake in there for the party.  Not very Martha Stewart, but it was better than not being able to get the cake out of the pan!}

Place 1/3 c butter in mixer.  Beat at med speed until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating well.  Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well.

Combine flour, soda, and salt.  Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour.   Stir in pecans, coconut extract, and vanilla.  Set aside (need mixer for eggs).

Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.  Fold eggs into batter.  Pour into pans.  Bake 23 minutes.  Cool completely.

{Egg white are VERY picky.  Use a metal bowl if possible and make sure you clean the beaters (don’t leave the cake batter on them) or they won’t form the peaks.  You are essentially making a meringue here to fold into the cake.}

Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese at high speed until fluffy.  Gradually add pow’d sugar, beating at low speed until smooth.  Add 1 t vanilla.  Beat well.

Place one cake layer on plate.  Frost top and sides.  Add other layer and frost rest.

{OR just frost the top of the cake in the 9×13.  I also add shredded coconut to the top.}

Chocolate Coke Cake

1 c Coke (real, non-diet, non-generic Coke)

1/2 c reduced fat buttermilk (low-fat or normal milke (not skim) will also work)

1 c butter or margerine, softened

1 3/4 c sugar or Splenda

2 large eggs

2 t vanilla

2c all-purpose flour

1/4 c cocoa

1t baking soda

1 1/2 c mini marshmallows (crazy, I know- you’ll never know they’re there after the frosting is on)

Coke Frosting (see below)

Cake:

Combine Coke and milk and set aside.

Beat butter on low speed until creamy.  Gradually add sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.

Combine flour, cocoa, and soda.  Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour until blended.  Stir in marhsmallows.

Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.  Remove from oven.  While cooling, make the frosting.  Do NOT make it ahead.

Frosting:

1/2 c butter or margerine

1/3 c Coke

3 T cocoa

1 (16-oz) pkg of pow’d sugar

1 T vanilla

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil over medium heat, stirring until butter melts.  Remove from heat and whisk in sugar and vanilla.  Pour over cooled cake.

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