Spicy Sausage Soup

It was chilly last weekend! So I made this soup to warm me up while Matt was away on a fishing trip. He was gone for a whole week . . . it was long. I'm so glad to have him back!

Spicy Sausage Soup

2 quarts tomatoes

2 spicy italian sausages, cooked

1 medium onion

1 green pepper

2-3 cloves garlic minced

oregano

several fresh basil leaves, chopped



Saying Good-Bye

We said good-bye to a couple great teachers at the end of the school year. One of our 4th grade teachers is beginning a new chapter of his life as a principal. As it turns out, his new school has a hornet as a mascot too!  One of my fellow 1st grade teachers left us as well. She retired after many years of teaching - all in 1st grade!



Cousin's Grad Party

Another post from last summer's events:

My Aunt has a floral business, Forget Me Not Floral Events and she does such a fantastic job! Look at this beautiful arrangement she did for my cousin's graduation party. She carefully matched her school colors: blue and gold. Check out her blog here: http://forgetmenotfloralevents.blogspot.com/

Cucumber Sandwiches

 Cucumber Sandwiches

1 pkg. cream cheese
1 large spoonful salad dressing
1 large spoonful mayo
fresh dill chopped or cut
2 large spoonfuls soup greens
  (I buy soup greens at a local foods store. It has  a bunch of different dried veggies. It is not necessary but adds a little more flavor.)

Soften the cream cheese. Blend in salad dressing and mayo. Mix in soup greens if desired (it takes a while for them to hydrate). I use scissors to cut the fresh dill. I use quite a bit because I love dill! Let it sit for an hour or more in the fridge before spreading over rye bread and adding cucumbers on top.

Spring into Fall

It is officially fall but you may not think so when you look in our backyard.  Our crab apple tree is flowering again . . .

The weather today is a beautiful beginning to fall. I spent a lot of time today driving back from a friend's wedding. I enjoyed the early fall colors all along the highway while listening to the Packer game. Then I corrected papers in the sunshine on our back patio. I LOVE fall!

The blossoms looked like this at first but after a little rain the were beautiful

After the Rain

After the Rain

On the way

 We're going to be Uncle Matthew and Aunt Heather to a little boy due in 4 months from today!

I tried out my cricut for the first time but only had one cartridge (Everyday Pop-Up Cards) and couldn't get my computer program to work. I ended up going the letters and sun by hand.

Apple Banana Bread

I had to make space in the freezer for all the food we have been putting away. We had frozen bananas taking up an awkward amount of space but I didn't have the correct ratio of bananas to banana bread batches. I substituted some apples we had that were drops from my in-laws trees. We normally use drops and "old," soft apples by coring and cutting them up. Then we freeze them for crisp and oatmeal  - but this worked well too!

Apple Banana Bread
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs
3/4 ripe mashed bananas
3/4 apples - put through a food processor
1/3 cup water
1 2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup chocolate chips - chopped
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of the bread pan. Mix sugar and butter, then add eggs. Blend. Add bananas, apples and water, mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into bread pan and bake for about 60 minutes.

Harvesting Weekend - How to Freeze Corn

We worked A LOT on harvesting food this weekend. We butchered chickens, picked and froze corn, tomatoes, and beans. I made spaghetti sauce and salsa. Baked apple and rhubarb crisp. Mixed up creamy cucumbers (with the help of my wonderful sister-in-law) And we still have a lot to go. Matthew and I will be cutting more corn tonight. It's a lot of work now but we really enjoy it in the winter!  Here is how we put it away:

Get out a 9x13 glass pan.
Fill it with corn cut from the cob.
Grind peppercorns and mix it in with the corn.
Cut half a stick of butter into slices and place on the top.
Add 1/4-1/2 cup of water.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Mix corn well.
Bake for another 20 minutes.
Let corn cool.
Put in ziploc bags and freeze.

I take the corn out of the freezer the night before I'm going to serve it and put it in the refrigerator. It just needs to be heated up on the stove quick before serving. Sometimes water needs to be added to avoid sticking and burning.

Cream Cheese Roll-Ups

Last spring I had family come into town for a 31 Party. I needed to make some easy but yummy treats so I could spend more time with them than I did in the kitchen. I also was able to use things I already had in the house.

Cream Cheese Roll-Ups
1 pkg. cream cheese
4 green onions chopped
4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
flour tortillas
2 garlic cloves

Not-So-Plain Brownies

Butterscotch & Peanut Butter Brownies

I also made brownies. I love brownies, even from a box but it's also fun to jazz them up every once in a while. I didn't measure exact amounts but there were a few dollops of peanut butter and probably about a 1/2 cup each of butterscotch chips and chocolate chips.

 

Life As a First Grade Teacher

I'm sure you have noticed that people define themselves by what they do for a living. When you meet someone we ask:

Where are you from?

and

What do you do?

When I say, "I'm a first grade teacher." I usually get one of two responses. "Aww. . .don't you love that age?" or "That's nice. . .I don't know how you do that every day."
Well, I have to admit that teaching does have its ups and its downs. Luckily for me there are usually more ups! Here are just a few of the great things I experienced this week as a teacher:
I had to be gone for training on Monday. Then, Tuesday morning, as my students came into the school one boy looks at me, screams, "She's BACK!!" and bolts down the hallway to give me a huge hug. How can you not smile for the rest of the day after that?
Wednesday we were having "turn and talk" time during reading. Students were asked to turn and tell their partners their favorite book and why. As I'm listening to discussions I hear this, "I like how you used the word interesting to describe your book, that is very great vocabulary."
Yesterday my line leader kept grabbing for my hand when we were walking in the hall. Another child noticed and said, "We always held hands with our kindergarten teachers, that's why she keeps doing that. We like holding hands with you too."
And this is why I love 1st Grade!

The Annual Party - Labor Day Soccer

Pre-gaming

The annual soccer game is definitely a favorite for this family.

The Kick-Off



Dad vs. Son

look at this girl go

Dad saves a goal

Hehe . . . I love this one!



Here he comes . . .

and . . .

Greg saves Alisha

I just missed capturing her amazing save!

Go Matthew!



The Half-time Photo

Matthew dominates down the field

Wow can this girl run! And she can kick too!

It was a great game.  And those of us on the side-lines got to enjoy this little guy as well . . .

 Meet Leonard!