Sconers

A meal and a dessert all in one!

There are two ways to approach this meal, the lazy way, or the probably tastes better in the long run way.

For this meal, I went with the lazy way, which is spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray and dump in 24-36 frozen Rhodes dinner rolls in the morning and let them thaw all day.

Then roll out very thin and using a pizza cutter, cut into little squares like this:

Next fry them up in some oil (350 degrees) flipping after a few minutes.

And place on paper towels to absorb the oil and cool off.

To dinner-ize them, we topped them with chili (a can of Nalley's with cheddar doctored with ketchup, mustard, and a pinch of brown sugar), and cheese, salsa, and sour cream, in Navajo taco fashion.

But for dessert, we saved half and tossed them with honey butter and cinnamon sugar. My kids ate their dinners in record time to get to these:

If I have time, I usually make the scones from scratch using this recipe.

SCONES

1 Cup Sweetened Warm Water (water with a pinch of sugar dissolved)

2 Tbsp Yeast

In a bowl add yeast to sweetened warm water and set aside for five minutes.

1 Cup Scalded Milk (put milk in sauce pan and cook on high heat remove just before boils)

2 Tbsp Shortening

3 Eggs

1 tsp Salt

1/2 Cup Sugar

6 Cups Flour

Cool milk to luke warm. Pour into mixing bowl along with shortening, eggs, salt, and sugar. Add flour a cup at a time along with yeast mixture. Mix well until a smooth elastic dough forms.

Let raise until double, then punch down. Let raise again, then roll out and cut into scones. Fry in hot oil until each side is golden brown.

Amelia Bedelia's Baby Food

In case you can't tell how small these cute little hamburgers are, I have placed them on a small saucer. They were a huge hit!

We just finished reading Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish. In the book, Amelia is asked to feed the baby some baby food. Amelia doesn't know what baby food is, so she makes the baby miniature hamburgers and baby potatoes. We thought we would give it a try.

First, the kids cut some baby sized buns out of a regular piece of bread. We used a small round cookie cutter and cut four circles per piece of bread (enough for two mini hamburgers). We also put a small piece of cheese on each bun and one small pickle.

Next, using a pound of thawed ground beef, we pattied up 15 small hamburgers the size of a half dollar and then grilled them for 5-6 minutes on each side.

We happened to have very small potatoes from our garden, since the growing season was so short this year. We scrubbed them, and tossed them with 1/2 cube of melted butter and some garlic powder and parmesan cheese and then baked at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

And then we broke corn on the cob into small baby sized portions (1/3 of the cob). And we enjoyed our meal. I should have made us all wear a bib and use baby spoons, but the actual baby goes through those too fast for there to be enough clean ones for everyone!

Corn Dog Muffins

A novel new spin on corndogs for a cheap and appealing meal for kids!

Ingredients: 2 boxes corn muffin mix

2 eggs

2/3 cups milk

4-6 hotdogs

Directions:

1. Cut the hotdogs into tiny bitesize pieces.

My three-year old loved doing this and having him help make the meal ensures that he will at least try it, if not devour it.

2. Mix the muffin mix, eggs, and milk according to package directions. Add the hot dog pieces.

3. Pour into a well greased muffin pan and bake according to package directions. I believe it was 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Makes 12 corndog muffins

This idea came from www.familystampingfood.blogspot.com/2010/02/recipe-corn-dog-mini-muffins.html. I loved it and just had to try it!

Stone Soup

This is a great recipe for the fall when your garden vegetables are ready to harvest. Adding a stone to our soup truly gives it a magical quality that makes even the three-year old eat it!

The first thing you will need for this recipe is a good, smooth, round stone, that is big enough no one could possibly accidentally swallow it.

Next, I read my kids the stone soup story. If you don't have the book, you can find many different versions online.

After the reading, we gather vegetables from our garden to put into soup along with the stone.

Onions, carrots, potatoes, peas, green beans, zucchini, corn, beans, any vegetables will do!


You will also need some minute rice, chicken broth, and italian dressing mix.

Then put the stone in the pot and let the magic begin.

STONE SOUP

1 Large Smooth Stone (big enough that it cannot be swallowed) scrubbed clean

1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 tsp. oil

1 can chicken broth

2 cups water

2 cups assorted cut-up vegetables (such as carrots, celery, broccoli, corn, beans, mushrooms, peppers, peas, potatoes, zucchini, etc.)

1 envelope Italian salad dressing & recipe mix

1 cup MINUTE white rice, uncooked

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until browned.

2. In large stew pot place the large stone, then add broth, water, vegetables, chicken, and salad dressing mix. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover. Simmer 5-10 minutes until vegetables are tender.

3. Stir in rice and cover. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Makes 6 Servings

Flower Hot Dogs

A fun way to snaz up a hotdog. Flower hotdogs were my favorite when I was a kid, and I am always surprised at how many people don't know about this simple little trick.

Get yourself a raw hotdog

Then using a butter knife, make a slit in the hotdog about every half-inch. Be careful not to cut all the way through.

It should look like this when you are done.

Microwave for 30-45 sec. It will curl itself up. (If it doesn't you can help it.)

And, voila! You have yourself a flower. Just add ketchup, mustard, and whatever else would cute this baby up.

Cinnaminis

Easy, fast, and fun. Plus, Z says they taste better than real cinnamon rolls!

Cinnaminis

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously grease 9x13 pan. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl; mix well.

2. Unroll dough and separate into 2 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal. Brush dough with butter; sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Roll up each rectangle tightly, starting from long side; pinch edges to seal. Cut each roll into 12 (1-inch) slices, with serrated knife. Place slices, cut sides up, about 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.

3. Bake about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack; cool completely. Blend powdered sugar and milk in small bowl until smooth; add additional milk, if necessary, to reach desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over cinnamon buns.

Makes 2 dozen mini buns.

The recipe for this idea came from Simple 1-2-3 Kids Cookbook, published by publications International.

Chicken Chimi-Cha,Cha,Cha-changas

So easy, yet, sooooo good! Buddy couldn't say "chimichanga" and so he is the one who came up with "chimi-cha-cha-cha's".

CHICKEN CHIMI-CHA,CHA,CHA-CHANGAS

1 (14 oz) can of refried beans

Shredded cheddar cheese

3 chicken breast halves

1/2 package taco seasoning

5 large tortilla shells

1. In the morning, place chicken in a crockpot with 1/2 cup water and 1/2 package of taco seasoning. Let cook on low for 8-10 hours. At the end of cooking time, shred the chicken. (If you don't have time for the crockpot, the chicken can also be cooked in a tablespoon of oil over medium high heat until cooked through.)

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

3. Warm the refried beans to loosen them up. Also warm the tortillas to make them easier to fold.

4. To assemble, spread about 1/4 cup of beans on each shell, then add chicken and sprinkle with cheese. To fold, fold the sides up first and then take the side closest to you and fold it up over to the middle, tuck the flap under the filling and then fold once again to the far side.

5. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil.

6. Place the chimichangas on the cookie sheet and bake for 16 minutes, turning them once halfway through.

7. Serve with Mexican rice, leftover refried beans, sour cream, and salsa.

Makes 5 chimichangas

Octopus Bread Bowls

The best way to get my kids to eat soup is to present it to them in a fun and creative way that they had a hand (or tentacle) in making.

OCTOPUS BREAD BOWLS

2 cups milk

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup luke warm water

2 tablespoons yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 beaten eggs

8-11 cups of flour

1. In a saucepan combine milk, shortening and 1/2 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil and then cool.

2. In a small bowl combine luke warm water, yeast, and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Set aside and let dissolve.

3. When the milk mixture cools, pour it into a mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of the flour and all of the yeast mixture, salt, and eggs. Beat until smooth, then add the rest of the flour.

4. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size, then punch down, re-cover and let rise again.

5. When the dough has risen again, punch down and shape.

6. To shape, pinch two large globs of dough equal in size. Roll one of the globs into a perfect ball. Cut the other into eight small globs and roll them into snakes of equal length. Grease a cookie sheet and arrange the eight legs into a circular pattern and place the ball on top. Let rise for another 30 min- 1 hour.

7. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

8. Cut the top of the head off and scoop out the guts, leaving enough room to add any soup or filling desired.

Makes 9-12 octopuses

Gingerbread Man Pancakes

Who says gingerbread men are just for Christmas time?

GINGERBREAD MAN PANCAKES
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Molasses
1 Cup Buttermilk
3 Cups Flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup butter melted
1/2 cup - 1cup milk
Whipped cream, fruit, chocolate chips, and other garnishments optional

1. With electric mixer, beat the eggs until they're light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, molasses, and butter milk and mix until blended about 1 minute more.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir until smooth. Stir in the butter. Gradually, add milk until pancakes are to desired consistency.

3. Pour a circle for the head, a circle for the body and four small circles for hands and feet. Cook on a pancake griddle over low heat until golden brown. Decorate and serve with maple syrup if desired.