Lemon Cranberry Scones

This recipe is one of my very favorite, they are melt in your mouth delicious!

Ingredients:

2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp grated lemon zest

1/2 cup butter, cold and cut into small pieces

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup milk

1 lg egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup cranberry raisins

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.  Stir in the lemon zest.  Add the butter and cut into flour mixture until it is rough and crumbly but still small pieces of butter are visable.

In a seperate bowl, whisk the cream, milk, egg and vanilla together.  Add this to the flour mixture and stir until the dough is just mixed together.  Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and complete bringing the dough together with your hands.  Flatten the dough out and press the cranberreies into the dough, folding it over and flattening it over a few times to incorporate them.

Roll the dough out to approx 1.5 cm thick, and cut into small bite sized pieces.  We use a small 1 inch cookie cutter.   Place on cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 20 – 25 mintues until the scones are lightly browned around the edges and bottom.

Makes approximately 35 bite sized.

Baked Onion Cake Squares

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup Warm Water

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 tsp Olive oil

3/4 of bunch of Green Onions, chopped small

 

1 tbsp Sesame Oil

1 3/4 tbsp Olive Oil

3/4 tsp of Granulated Garlic

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix 3/4 of the flour, salt, oil and water together.  Slowly add more flour until the dough forms a ball.  Kneed slightly until smooth, rest under a damp cloth for 45 mintues.  In a small bowl mix the sesamie oil, olive oil and granulated garlic then set aside for brushing.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface as thin as possible.  Avoid tearing or ripping the dough.  Brush on oil mixture and evenly cover with chopped onions.  Roll the dough up like a cinnamon bun into a log, then roll the log up like a snail shell.  Roll the dough with a rolling pin until it is approximately 1/4 – 1/2 of a centimeter thick.

Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 – 15 mintues.  Brush the top lightly with oil mixture and bake again for 10 minutes or until just barely light brown.

Cut into squares.

 

**We make this recipie in a very large batch, so you may need to adjust the measurements and cooking times slightly**

Homemade Granola Bars

Ingredients:

5 cups quick oats

1 cup coconut flakes(unsweetened is best)

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup dried fruit

3/4 cup melted butter

approx 2 cups of marshmallows melted

1/2 can of condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla 8 optional

1 cup chocolate chips

****Any of the seeds, fruit, coconut and chocolate chips can be adjusted.  I personally love them with white or dark chocolate and dried apricots, coconut and almonds*** Amy

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a large 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and marshmallows together by microwavintg 30 seconds at a time until smooth.  Add condensed milk and vanilla to marshmallow mixture and mix well.  Add wet ingredients to large bowl of dry indredients and mix well.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Press mixture evenly into your parchment paper lined pan.

Bake for approximately 10 – 20 minutes until just begining to brown around the edges.  The longer you cook the crunchier they are, so if you like your granola bars chewey cook just so the ingredients can all set together.  Cool and cut into squares or bars.  Store in Plastic bag, can be frozen as well.

 

 

Sunny Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 lg eggs

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup apple sauces

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup oil

2 1/4 tsp Grated orange zest

2 cups dried cranberries

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix dry ingredients into a large bowl. Stir.  Make a well in the center.  Beat the next 6 ingredients in a medium bowl and add to well.  Add Cranberries and stir until just moistened.  Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full.  Sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Bake for 20 – 22 minutes until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.

Makes approx 24 muffins

Taco Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb Lean Ground Beef

3 tbsp Club House Taco Seasoning (may need a bit more or less)

1 – 2 Romaine Lettuce hearts

1 – 1.5 cups Grated Chedder Cheese

1/2 family bag Taco Chips broken up

Directions:

In a skillet on medium heat brown the ground beef.   Once browned scoop off any excess oil and mix in taco seasoning.  Leave on low heat until your salad is prepped.   Cut or shred the romaine lettuce and add to a large bowl, top with broken up taco chips and cheese.  When you are ready to serve add the ground beef and mix.  Serve with sour cream and salsa on the side and enjoy.

Serves approx 4 – 6 people.

 

Yogurt Jello Bites

Yogurt Jello Bites are one that we recently discovered in our quest to make yogurt more fun!!!!

Ingredients:

1 container plain yogurt

1 pkg of jello powder ( Your choice in flavor)

Directions:

In a microwave safe bowl, mix the yogurt and pkg of jello.  Put into microwave for 1 minute then stir.  Continue cooking in microwave for 1 minute increments until the jello powder is completely dissolved.  Pour into paper lined muffin tins and put in fridge to set at least 1 hour.   Remove paper and serve with whipped cream or your choice of fruit.

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Sloppy Joe’s

Hi Everyone,

This is a very simple recipe that we get asked for on a regular basis.

Daycare Sloppy Joe’s

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef

1 can tomatoe sauce (Plain)

3 Tbsp Taco seasoning( It is very important that it is this kind, for some reason others just do not taste the same)

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Directions:

In a sauce pan, cook the ground beef on medium heat until browned.   Drain the grease.   Add the can of tomatoe sauce and taco seasoning, stir well and leave simmer for 15 – 20 minutes.  Serve with buns and your choice of veggie or salad.

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Yes it really is that simple!  Coming next week Yogurt Jello Bites…..

Recipes you have been asking for

Hi Everyone,

There are many times that we have parents asking, how did you make this?   Or your children telling you about the food Margorie or Amy make and you just cant seem to duplicate it?   Margorie and I are coming to your rescue!!!  Over the next few months we will post a new recipe each week that your children love or you have been asking for.

Our first recipe is what I made for Margorie’s birthday dessert to share with the parents.   Please remember that I did make about 65 portions of this so I have done my best to adjust the recipe.

NO BAKE CARAMEL TOFFEE CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:

8 oz or 1pkg of cream cheese (if you don’t have quite enough I added a little plain yogurt)

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp lemon juice (don’t add this if you are using yogurt)

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs

3 tbsp melted margarine or butter

Caramel sauce

Toffee bits, butterscotch chips or even crushed Scor chocolate bar

6 – 8 cups or bowls create your delicious masterpiece in

 

Directions:

In a bowl combine Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter, mix with a fork until well combined.  Spoon evenly into your cups.  In a large bowl combine Cream cheese(yogurt), vanilla, lemon juice and sugar.  Beat with a hand blender until smooth and creamy.  In a separate bowl add the heavy cream and beat until it forms stiff peaks, then add to the cream cheese mixture.   Fold these two together, then spoon evenly into your cups.  Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle on candy topping.  Put in the refrigerator for 1 hour to cool and set up a bit.  Then enjoy!!!

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**Note we do not really measure and I have done my best to cut the recipe into more family sized portions but they may need a bit of adjusting***

 

Stay tuned for next weeks recipe!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Spring is here!!!!!!!!!!!

It finally warming up and everyone is excited to spend as much time outdoors with the family!  Here are a few fun family activities to help you get up and outside!

Go for a walk in your community

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Explore nature or have a scavenger hunt

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Get the bikes out, tuned up and hit the trails!

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Bubbles

bubble pic

 

Get the Garden ready for planting

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Wash the car

washing car

Visit a playground with your family

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Or even just go kick a ball or play in one of the community fields

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What are your favorite spring time activities with your family?

Kindergarten Registration

It is that time of year again, the time when parents are frantically checking out school open houses to register their children for Kindergarten.  Just take a deep breath!!  There are many wonderful schools to choose from.  Are you wondering where to enroll, what do do, and when to start?  If your child will be 5 years old by March 2, 2016 they are eligible to register for Kindergarten.

We often get asked if a child is ready for kindergarten.  Generally, if your child can follow directions, can sit for a 15 – 20 minute learning time and plays with others easily they are probably ready.   For those amazing children born between January 1 and March 2 it is often a personal choice.  Sometimes they are ready academically but still are a bit shy or have difficulty talking to their peers, or they are just small for their age, then we have had parents wait that extra year to register them for Kindergarten and they have done well,  we have also had parents register them as soon as they are eligible and they have gone on to succeed as well.  One comment that I often get from the children when they are in Out of School Care is if they are born in January or later and start school when they are 4 years old, is that they don’t get to play sports with their friends as sports are often based on birth year.   Just something to think about!

If you are still unsure if your child is ready talk to your current child care provider, they usually complete progress reports or developmental checklists a few times a year and can give you a better idea of what your child has accomplished.

So if you feel your child is ready for Kindergarten here is what you need to do:

Step 1 is to check the websites for Edmonton Public Schools at www.epsb.net and Edmonton Catholic Schools at www.ecsd.net, here you are able to look up your designated school.  Yes, you have a designated school based on your home address, this is the school that serves your neighborhood.

Step 2, attend the open house to get more information about the school and the programs they offer.  Do they offer French Immersion, Is there bussing, Do they have child care options onsite or is there busing to your current childcare option?  These are just a few of the things to consider.

Step 3, complete the registration form for the school and wait to see if your child is accepted.

Step 4, Once your child has been accepted, the school will often tell you if your child is in AM or PM Kindergarten and may even give you a staggered entry day.  This is a day when a small group of the class go in and have class with the Teacher to help them transition to Kindergarten!  We also recommend talking to your child in the days/weeks leading up to school so they kn0w what to expect.   Take them shopping for a new backpack, school clothes or supplies for Kindergarten, this is always very exciting.

I hope this helps you 🙂

 

“Learning through Play“