How to Make an Ice Ring

Ice rings are a simple and elegant touch to any punch bowl.

You can use an ice ring pan or a bunt pan. I like bunt pans because they are deeper, which makes a thicker ring that will not melt as quickly.

Place fruit, pineapple, cherries, grapes, strawberries, edible flowers, mint leaves, etc... to fill about a third of the pan. Pour just enough punch or water to cover the fruit. Don't fill past the fruit, it will cause the fruit to float; you want it all to be settled in the bottom.

Place in freezer until frozen.

Add an inch of punch or water at a time and freeze. Repeat until pan is full. If you add too much punch/water at once it will cause the ring to float.

With this ring after the fruit and first layer were frozen in, I added a bunch of ice cubes and filled the rest with water.

Let the ring sit at room temperature for 20 minutes and it should slide right into the punch bowl. You can also set it in water for a few minutes.

One thick ice ring will last for about 2 hours.

You can make your rings weeks ahead of time and store them in bags in the freezer until party time.

Other things that can be added to an ice ring:
Mint Leaves
Orange Rind
Lemon Rind
Lime Rind
Kiwi
Violets
Pansies
Rose Petals

Think COLOR!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 bottle ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
1 can chunk pineapples
3-4 T Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup vinegar

In a sauce pan, on medium heat, add all ingredients. You can adjust to your taste by adding more sugar or vinegar.

Once it is hot, add:

1-2 T Corn Starch, this will thicken the sauce a little.

Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add a bag of cooked meat balls. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes to allow flavor to penetrate the meatballs.

Pineapple Almond Punch

1 c. sugar
6-8 cups water

Bring water to a boil, stir in sugar until dissolved. Let cool. This insures that the sugar does not settle to the bottom.

2 lg. cans unsweetened pineapple juice
2 sm. bottles almond flavoring

In a large container add the water-sugar mixture, pineapple juice and almond flavoring; mix well.

Pour into gallon buckets or gallon Ziplock bags. Freeze

Take out of freezer 2-3 hours before serving, allow to get slushy.

2 2-litters of 7 -Up, Twist-Up, OR ginger ale

Add 7-Up or your choice of soda, just before serving.

Serves 20-30 8 oz. servings

Chicken Tortellini with Rotallini

Here is a recipe Olivia made for us...it was SO GOOD!

Serves 6

First mix
2.5 oz. package of Goat Cheese
A little over half of a 14. oz can of Spinach Leaves
2 cups of shredded Mozzarella (save a handful or two for later)

Next you need 6 pieces of Chicken Breast
These come rather thick, so you will have to fillet them in half.
This makes two per person.
Use a meat tenderizer afterwards to make them easier to roll,
they should end up about 1\4 of an inch thick.

On one piece of Chicken Breast, lay a slice of ham on the top,
then smear on a tablespoon or two of the goat cheese\spinach mix.
Roll it up, starting at the narrow end.

Put a toothpick in each to keep them from unrolling.

Spoon a teaspoon or so of Dijon Mustered on each one .
This is not necessary, but it does taste good.

Roll the whole thing in bread crumbs or
Shake and Bake Chicken Parmesan

Bake for 30-45 min. at 350, or until chicken is cooked.

While chicken is cooking boil your Rotallini pasta.
Strain and add the left over spinach, mozzarella and goat cheese\spinach mix.
Serve Chicken Tortellini over the Rotallini,
I served mine with Sweet Baked Butternut Squash,
it goes well with garlic bread and salad.
Enjoy!
~Olivia

Children's Christmas Party

We don't do a whole lot of age segregation at our church, but this is one time of year we divide up for parties. Olivia, Emma and I took care of the under 12 children's party. We did a snowman theme and lots of fun. Oh, how I miss having little ones.

Snowmen

Use 2 large marshmallows and push them down on a large pretzel.

Using an orange fruit roll up cut some long triangles to make a nose,
these will stick on easily.

Then use another color fruit roll up to cut strips for the scarves.

Melt some white almond bark in a double boiler.
Dip one side of a fruit ring (like gummie bears),
this will be the 'glue' that holds the ring on the top of the snowman.

It helps to place them upside down to let them harden (about 5-10 minutes).

Using more almond bark do the same thing with a gumdrop.
You'll have to prop these upright until the 'glue' hardens.

Melt a small amount of semi sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler.
Using a toothpick dot on some eyes.

I used a large divided dish with extra marshmallows in it to help them
stand up for display and serving.

Olivia and Emma made snowman sandwiches using carrots, cranraisins, and raisins.
The insides were peanut butter and jelly.

Peanut butter dip for the apple slices.
Creamy peanut butter and honey.

I can't believe I forgot to get a picture of Olivia's Snowman Cheese ball.
Here is one she made last year.

The children made beaded snowflakes.
I explained to them how no two snowflakes are the same,
just as God created each of us differently.

We played Candy Cane Relay.

These are a great bunch of kids!

Apple Pie

My mother brought a bunch of apples a few weeks ago. Olivia was able to make 2 apple pies (we took to church), 2 apple crisp (one for us, one for a neighbor), and then canned 4 quarts, leaving us a few to eat fresh! :o)

She used a cookie cutter and got creative with the crust.

Pie Crust

10 T of chilled butter
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. water
2 T sugar

Using pastry cutter, cut chunks of butter to flour, sugar and salt, until course crumbs. Add water slowly. Roll out until it is thin.

Filling

10 Apples, peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
sprinkle of vanilla
lemon juice
Flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot for thickening

Preheat oven to 400°F, then reduce to 375°F after pie is in the oven. Bake 45 minutes.

Barvarian Cream Cake

Simple and Good!

I made this last weekend for a cake walk.

You will need:
1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs, oil and water
Mix and bake cake according to box directions
in 2- 8" round pans.
1 large box of vanilla instant pudding
1 can evaporated milk
1 container of chocolate icing

Let cake cool.
Beat pudding mix and the can of evaporated milk for 2 minutes.
Let pudding set,
then spread between the layers.
Heat your icing in the container
in the microwave for 30-60 seconds,
until it is melted.
Pour the icing over the cake.
After it cools it will stiffen.

ENJOY!

Pumpkin Powerhouse!

Be sure to leave a comment this week and
I'll put your name in the hat for the GIVE AWAY.

Post on your blog linking back to here and
I'll put your name in TWICE!

If you are having trouble leaving a comment,
just email me and I'll do it for you!
Kathy@teachinggoodthings.com

Pumpkins are a Powerhouse of Nutrition!

ONE SERVING OF PUMPKIN HAS:

7 grams of fiber
More than 100% of your daily vitamin A
(a lack of vitamin A can lead to night blindness)
beta carotene
(lowers the risk of age-related macular degeneration)
carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin
(which is good for your eye sight)
15% of your daily vitamin C
20% of your daily iron needs
alpha-carotene
(lowers the risk of lung cancer)
seeds contain cucurbitacins
(may be help prostate health)

Ways to get pumpkin into your family's diet all year long,
not just in the fall:

Of course... Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Pie!
Pumpkin Muffins with nuts for breakfast
Casseroles
Pumpkin PancakesGranola
Pumpkin Soup

Think of any recipe where you could throw in a little pumpkin
and it wouldn't be too noticeable such as a vegetable soup.

Think of a way to add pumpkin to your diet maybe a couple times a month
so the family won't grow to hate it. :o)

You may need to learn how to freeze or can pumpkin
for the most nutritional value and flavor!
Check these out:

How to Make Pumpkin Puree

Canning Freezing

SEEDS!

Protein
Iron
B vitamins
vitamin E
high in unsaturated vegetable oil
seed coverings high in fiber

Save and roast your seeds.

First scoop out the seeds and wash them.
You can dry out the seeds before baking, but it’s not necessary.

Lay the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet.
Use alittle olive oil on the pan, then alittle on top of the seeds.
Butter would also work.
Sprinkle with the seasonings of your choice (listed below).

Bake the seeds at 250-275 for about an hour or until crunchy;
stir every 20 minutes to keep from burning.

For a different twist on your seeds try:
salt , garlic salt or seasoning salt
curry powder
garlic powder
cayenne pepper
Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
use your imagination...

Pumpkin seeds can be tossed in any recipe
where you would normally add nuts.

Try adding the ground seeds to hot cereals.

Grind them up as fillers in most anything!

Store the seeds in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Seeds will last several months,
but they often lose some of their flavor after a month or two.
Air seal would be the best way to preserve your seeds!

The pumpkin's bright yellow-orange flowers are edible!

Pumpkin Week ~Trivia , Quizes and a GIVE AWAY! Pumpkin Gems

This week I will be posting about PUMPKINS,

a little trivia, decorating ideas, fun for the kids
and of course RECIPES!!!


GIVE AWAY
Leave a comment
(preferably with a suggestion, a joke or funny story
on how to use a pumpkin,
but it is not necessary),
and I'll put your name in the hat once.

Post on your blog linking back to this Give-Away
and
I will put your name in the hat TWICE for the drawing on Saturday
for a set of two
Pumpkin Pot Holders!
(pictured above)

Give Away ends Friday night at midnight.
Winner will be announced Saturday.

~

HERE is a little quiz about pumpkins.

~

My first recipe will be an EASY one for

TWO Ingredient Pumpkin Gems!

Ingredients:

A Cake Mix
(something that will go with pumpkin flavor, chocolate, spice, yellow, etc)
1 can 100% Pumpkin
(not pie filling)
DO NOT ADD WATER AND OIL

OPTIONAL:
2 eggs
(eggs add to a lighter texture, more cake like,
but you can do this without eggs and the texture will be more dense
like a pumpkin bread or muffin)
Chocolate Chips
Walnuts or Pecans

Mix 1 cake mix and 1 can of pumpkin (optional eggs) until smooth.
Add nuts and chocolate chips

Using a small ice cream scoop (thanks to Dana for this tip)
scoop batter into mini muffin pans.
Bake on 350 for about 15-20 minutes.

This batch was made with a chocolate cake mix and a yellow cake mix.
You could even use loaf pans to make Pumpkin Bread.
Make these ahead of time,
freeze them and
you'll have a treat ready for fellowship gatherings in an instant!

Sausage Bread

This is a great dish that I learned from Jeff's mom and grandfather.
I only make it on special occasions,
and today's special occasion is my wonderful husband's 44th birthday!
(44???is that right? Can we possibly be getting that old?)

Sausage Bread
Makes 2 loaves

1 pound of sweet or hot Italian Sausage
1 pound of Mozzarella Cheese
2 pizza or bread dough
Italian Seasoning
Optional: 1 onion, 1 pepper, mushrooms, black olives

Use Italian Sausage.
If you cannot get it in bulk, use the links,
just slide the sausage out of the casing.
Brown it on medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces.

When it gets almost finished,
add a chopped onion, bell pepper and Italian Seasoning.
You can also add mushrooms.

You will roll your pizza dough (homemade or store bought) out,
you can also use a can of French bread, on a lightly oiled baking pan or counter top.
Sprinkle your meat mixture evenly on the dough.
I also added some black olives.

Add mozzarella cheese on top of the meat mixture.
You can use shredded, I just thinly sliced it here
(cheaper to buy it as a block, not shredded).

Roll it up like a jellyroll.

Bake on a baking pan that has been oiled and sprinkled with a little cornmeal
on 350 for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown on top.
As soon as it comes out of the oven wipe a little butter on it, this will keep the top soft.

ENJOY!
Serve with a fresh green salad,
to give this meal some nutritional value! ;o)
This is also good with a pasta dish.

Pistachio/Strawberry Cake

We've had two outings this week and I made this cake both times. Once for our Quilter's Guild meeting and then the next day I taught a SWEET group of girls a quilting lesson. This cake went over really well both times, so I'll share. Now it does look alittle Christmasy, but we had no pretty daisies left, and the only yellow flowers we have are marigolds and who wants a 'stinky' flower on their cake?!

Use a white or yellow cake mix, bake according to directions in a 9x13 pan.

After baking, dump it within 5 minutes and
then using a cookie sheet and flip it again so that the rounded top is face up.
After letting it cool, trim the 'hump' off with a long serrated knife, so that the cake is flat.
If you have time, let it air dry an hour or so, would be best over night.

Cut the cake into thirds.

For the icing mix large 1 carton of whipping cream until it is almost finished (soft peaks).
Then add one package of pistachio instant pudding mix.
Whip only a minute or so until it is mixed throughly. Do NOT over whip.

Using a pastry bag pipe out the icing around the edges of the cake,
you could also just use your spatula and put it on if you did not have a pastry bag.

I used a strawberry/rhubarb jam that Olivia made last week.
Regular jam would be fine, or use just the icing if you don't want the jam.
On the first cake I made the jam really soaked into the cake,
so on the second one I did a thin layer of the icing
before adding the jam and that seemed to help.
I also let the cake air dry (with a light towel on it) over night before cutting and icing.

Place the middle layer on.
You will want to press in down a little to help it get settled.

Repeat what we did on the first layer.

Add the top layer and ice the cake with a thick layer on top and then the sides.

You can use a large star tip to decorate with your left over icing (I did not do it on this cake). Add some fresh mint leaves and/or fresh flowers.
Fresh strawberries would be very pretty too!

ENJOY!

Note: On this cake I did not use as much whipping cream and I thought the icing was a little too heavy. So on the second cake (not pictured) I use the whole carton of whipping cream and it was lighter, which I liked better.