April Wears a Lovely Gown

Happy April, everyone! To celebrate, I'm posting a poem written by my grandmother. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

April Wears a Lovely Gown

April wears a lovely gown,

all periwinkle blue

and billowy white,

And on her golden head,

she wears a vibrant crown.

As she lightly dances o’er

the soft, yielding ground,

green grass appears, and

the dainty crocus opens

its silken petals,

Then the warm, full sky sends

her spring showers earthward,

to fulfill April’s promise,

While all around,

the perfume settles.

Oh! April is a lovely thing,

with blue-bells for her eyes,

The flaming red upon her lips,

from twilight’s skies.

Enchanting April is like

first love, tenderly, sweet

as a flower-bud unfolding,

And long after she has danced away,

Her gay perfume lingers

On the air, and all the world

unfolding.

You can find another of Gamie's poems, Shadow and Flame, here.

*Sorry for the awkward formatting--Blogger's still tricky sometimes for me. :)

Mother-Daughter Birthday Aprons

On my first birthday after Kardelen was born, Anna made us a very special gift: coordinating mother-daughter aprons. I'd mentioned several weeks before that I was thinking about making one, but didn't know if I had the time. Thoughtful Anna made one not only for me, but for my baby, too!

Yes, that's Kardelen at 4 months old, modeling her apron. :)

Now that Kardelen is bigger, Sofia has adopted the little apron. As soon as I put mine on, she reaches for the drawer too, wanting to put hers on, saying, "apron! apron!" She considers it her special apron. And now I can "match" with my other daughter!


I'm looking forward to hearing your stories of special aprons, too! Later in the week I'll share pictures from a little apron fashion show we did with my nieces yesterday, and my other aprons at home and the history behind them.

I think I'll start a separate post just for Mr. Linky that will always stay at the top this week; so be sure to scroll down for new posts. And if you're joining on your blog, you can use the Apron Show logo at the top (save it and upload it like a regular picture).

Please join anytime and share your own apron pictures and stories!

Apron Show!

Who wants to join me?

Next week (starting March 30) I'm hosting an apron show on Bless Your Family. I'm excited to show you the aprons in my kitchen and the history behind them, from our mother-daughter coordinating aprons to my grandmother's red gingham with her name embroidered on it. I invite you to join in, too.

Cherishing your vintage aprons? Share them with us. Love to make them for friends? Inspire us! Made a trendy apron? Show it off! If you have a blog, you can join through Mr. Linky. Use the Apron Show logo for the top of your post--it's made for you! (Save it, then upload it like a regular picture.) Not a blogger? Send me pics; I'll share them for all to see!

By the way, I begged my amazing-seamstress friend Anna for pics of the wedding aprons she made her sister and brother-in-law. I hope I get them in time to share them with you!

So join us! You can send pictures or join the Mr. Linky anytime during the week. (Remember to grab the logo, too!) I'll share my pics throughout the week as well, starting on Tuesday (we're out of town Monday).

Let's celebrate the art of aprons!

The One-Hour Apron

Ever since one of my favorite blogs linked to the pattern, I've been wanting to try the Apron in an Hour Tutorial. A few weeks ago I had two wonderful excuses, so I got to try it out!

The pattern starts with a fat quarter of fabric and half a yard of coordinating fabric. (Or you could just buy half a yard of two different fabrics you like, which is what I did.) Supposedly, within an hour you'll have a gorgeous, trendy apron fit for wearing or giving. It ended up taking me closer to two, but I made just a few changes, which I'll mention later.

Two birthdays were wonderful reasons to make aprons. Since my lovely niece is both an amazing cook and an enviable hunter (at 12, she got a deer and a bear last fall), I decided to make her a camouflage apron.


My good friend Lindsey had a birthday on the same day. She actually sent me a link to the Apron in an Hour Tutorial thinking I'd enjoy it, which was comical since I'd already seen it, and planned to make one for her birthday! Since she loves the aprons from Marie-Madeline Studio, I tried to choose some contemporary-yet-feminine fabrics for hers:


It was a great tutorial. Here's what I enjoyed and learned:

~Tricks to make the apron look professional. The way the it's constructed, all the seams are hidden. I'm a self-taught sewer, and I never knew how to do this!

~It really is a quick gift, great for bridal showers, birthdays, etc.

~The apron can be made inexpensively as well, especially if you use coupons or sales (or simply fabric from your stash). At the risk of being tacky (since I know my niece and Lindsey both read my blog), I think it's okay to say that each apron cost around four dollars to make.

~You can personalize it by embroidering the recipient's name on the front, if you're lucky enough to have an embroidery machine (or a good friend who has one).

~I would change two parts of the tutorial. First, I'd line the apron by using two layers of fabric for the bib part. If you buy half a yard of fabric instead of a fat quarter, you have enough anyway; and lining the apron will make it more functional.

I also topstitch the ties. This is mostly because aprons get dirty; they get washed; and I didn't want the ties to get messed up in the wash and the recipients to have to re-iron them! Maybe that wouldn't actually happen, but I thought it better to play it safe and topstitch. (I actually sew the last seam as I topstitch, instead of zigzagging--you'll see what I mean if you try the tutorial.)

My verdict: lots of fun. Great excuse to play around with fun fabric and make a really nice gift for someone. Check out Jona G's Flickr group to see the lovely aprons others have made using her tutorial.

Anyone else want to try it?

Done and Undone

Last week I shared a little exercise I do that helps me reflect on my day. I'd like to do this again today, and invite you to join. I want to note just a few things before we begin.

I mentioned that many mornings I write down my five important things for the day. I was having somewhat of a hectic day one day last week, partially because of a fussy girl and partly because I was feeling overwhelmed by all the things I expected myself to do. I felt like the Lord quietly nudged me, "Have you decided your five important things today?" Then I remembered that I always used to decide my five important things right after I'd had devotions--just after I'd committed the day to Him. I share that with you in hopes that as you plan your day, you'll take the time to hear from Him first. (This helps to prevent you from putting unrealistic expectations on yourself and becoming frustrated, like I was!)

When I write out my done and undone list, I include five of each. This is partially for brevity and partially because it makes me prioritize; it makes me think through, what were the most important things I accomplished, and the five biggest things that weren't done? Not that they have to be earth-shaking--but this keeps me from writing down everything, which might get a little long. :) You're welcome to list more than five in your Done & Undone, if you wish; but I thought I'd share why mine includes five of each. (Note: I don't list them in order of importance, though.)

So here we go, ladies! I'll post my list for yesterday and then invite you to join me.

Done:
1. Read the Bible (I've been reading 1 John again and again)
2. Date night with Jacob
3. Took girls to a tea party at the tea shop and to gymnastics
4. Enjoyed a surprise visit from a friend
5. Spoke with my family on the phone

Undone:
1. My homework
2. Dishes / sweeping kitchen-dining area
3. Put away 2 loads laundry
4. Finish budgeting (entering our checkbook transactions in our computer spreadsheet)
5. We forgot to put in our first order with a natural foods bulk buying club (too bad!--we'll have to wait for next month)

Now it's your turn! Remember if you don't have blog, you are welcome to leave a comment sharing your Done and Undone list. Thanks for participating!

A Big Week

It's been a Big Week. These are a few of the things that happened in our family this week: I wasn't feeling well; Jacob went to the ER in the middle of the night for an ear infection; Kardelen saw the doctor twice for minor injuries; someone used our credit card fraudulently to the tune of nearly $500 (for one really nice pair of sunglasses), and Sofia got her first haircut.

As you can see, it hasn't been all bad; but it has been one very big week.

Looking ahead, we're going to take a trip soon to visit a family member that is passing away. A pastor who visited him wrote a very nice blog post that is quite touching, if you'd like to read it.

With all that happened this week, God has been faithful to our family. I'm so thankful for Him! May your family be blessed in the days ahead, and may you grow in the knowledge of His grace. (I've been learning a lot about grace lately, so I really do mean that--I'll be sharing more in the future.)

Reading with Daddy

Our girls love reading with Daddy.


They enjoy reading in odd places.


Sometimes they remind me of monkeys.


Really, you never know where you'll find them.


Sometimes they read to Daddy,


And sometimes Daddy reads to them.


But the most important thing is that they love being together.

Overpowering Love

Moments like these are one of my favorite moments as a mom--seeing the love our children have for one another.

Plus, it's silly and fun. :)

Happy Birthday Caldecott

illustration from the ALA

Ever pick up a children's book and wonder what that gold medal on the front means?

It's the Caldecott Medal, named for the 19th-century illustrator Randolph Caldecott, who was born 163 years ago this Sunday. Happy birthday, Mr. Caldecott.

How the Caldecott Medal Came About
The Newbery Medal already honored the author of the best children's book written each year, but some felt that illustrators of children's books were equally deserving of honor. Since Randolph Caldecott was an influential illustrator in the nineteenth century, the medal was named after him and is awarded yearly to the picture book with the best illustrations.

Note the difference: the Newbery Medal is for the best writing, and the Caldecott for best illustrations.

Take a look at that shiny gold seal sometime. You'll see an illustration from one of Randolph Caldecott's picture books, The Diverting Story of John Gilpin, which displays his signature skill in showing movement and action. As ALA describes, "The illustration shows John Gilpin astride a runaway horse, accompanied by squawking geese, braying dogs, and startled onlookers." Here's another illustration from one of his books (though not displaying the same sense of action):



The American Library Association awards a Caldecott Medal book each year, as well as several runners-up, given the Caldecott Honor Medal. Go here to see this year's winners and honorees, as well as all other winners since the award was first given in 1938. You'll recognize such favorites as Click Clack Moo; No, David!; Knuffle Bunny and Knuffle Bunny Too; Ella Sarah Gets Dressed; and More More More Said the Baby.

These are great books to share with young children or grandchildren. What excellent way to teach them about art--present them with the best illustrations that year that have been created just at their level!


some text adapted from ALA article on the Caldecott Medal

Homemade Vanilla Yogurt Recipe

My sister-in-law Kari gave me this wonderful vanilla yogurt recipe which we think tastes even better than our favorite Stonyfield Farms yogurt! I've adapted it a little.

You'll need:

Milk (skim, 1%, 2%, or whole), enough to fill your yogurt machine's containers (we use 6 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup powdered milk (or 1 teaspoon plain unflavored gelatin), to thicken the yogurt
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon yogurt with active cultures (plain or vanilla), for a starter

Bring milk, powdered milk, and sugar nearly to a boil in a saucepan, stirring often. (I get it up to around 190 degrees on our thermometer.) Remove from heat.

Cool using one of two methods: fill a sink with cold water and set the pan inside, stirring often (this will take about 5 minutes), or let sit at room temperature till cooled. You want the mixture to cool to around 100 degrees.

Gently stir in vanilla and yogurt starter (don't beat or whip). Ladle into yogurt containers and process 4 to 10 hours in your yogurt machine (the longer you process, the more tart it will taste).

This recipe makes a wonderful, creamy vanilla yogurt that's great by itself (Kari would rather eat it than ice cream!), as a base for smoothies, or to make flavored yogurts like orange cream or key lime.

By the way, if you don't have a yogurt machine, you can make it in your Crock-Pot!

Done and Undone

One of the challenges of being a stay-at-home mom, for me, is always being "at work." Sometimes I have trouble giving myself time to relax when I see household tasks that remain undone, especially in the evenings.

One thing that has helped is every morning deciding my five important things, my priorities for the day (an idea I learned from Crystal). Once I identify what is most important for me to do that day, I can organize my time to get those done, and eliminate the guilt that comes from not accomplishing everything on my huge (unrealistic) to-do list. (By the way, there are days when not all my five things get accomplished--but other things take their place which are equally valuable, so I try not to guilt myself.)

Along with that, it's been nice in the evenings to think back on the things that were accomplished, and recognize which weren't, all the while realizing that what was done is good, and what wasn't done can wait. I've been calling this "Done & Undone."

I'll often be posting my Done & Undone lists, and would love for you to join me. Be thinking of your own, if you like; and next time I post my Done & Undone, I'll include a Mr. Linky for you. Or you can just leave a comment if you prefer.

Since today's not over yet, I'll do one for yesterday:

Done
1. Took Kardelen to ECFE, Sofia to a friend's house
2. Made snacks in the morning to bring to ECFE
3. Played outside with Jacob and the girls for a long time
4. Did 2 loads laundry and part of the dishes while my Mother's Helper was here
5. Made a birthday present for someone special after kids went to bed

Undone
1. Never finished all the dishes
2. Didn't sweep the floor
3. Left the last load of laundry in the dryer (didn't fold or put away)
4. Didn't return a phone call
5. Didn't get a package ready for mailing today--we'll send it tomorrow instead

Overall, we had a wonderful day. You can tell I had much more fun than I did cleaning, but today the pendulum swung back the other way, and I've done a good bit of tidying up the house. I like that part of balance--that you can have free-fun days, and just catch up on the housework on other days. (As long as you actually do it. :) )

How about you? I love hearing what your family life is like, as well as your time management tips. Please leave a comment and share with us!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
By the way, Lindsey's posting today about the book Shopping for Time and what she's learned from it. Check it out!

Use-it-Up Game

Ever play that game at a baby shower where you see how many words you can make from the baby's full name?

I thought about that today as I cleaned the fridge. Not that I spend all my Saturdays deep-cleaning the house! We haven't been grocery shopping for a while, so our fridge doesn't have much in it. (We've been out of town, and I've been at a conference the past two days.) Plus, I finally went through and threw out all the leftovers, so there's even more shelf space than before. Perfect time to wipe it out, right?

Here's what was left after the purging-and-cleaning:

milk
juice
5 eggs
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 head of fresh broccoli
2 little florets of cooked broccoli
about 3/4 cup chocolate ganache (a gift from my birthday)
lentil-rice casserole
broccoli-potato soup
3 laughing cow cheeses
small bit of homemade whipped cream
canister of Cool-Whip
1 can spiced Mexican beans
apricot-jalapeno jam
tiny bit of onion
colby cheese block
mozzarella cheese block
popcorn
In the fridge door: condiments, butter, parmesan cheese, fresh ginger, club soda, etc.

So here's where the game comes in. I started to think, just how many meals could I make out of what's here?

I didn't restrict my list to exactly what's in the fridge--it takes flour to make pancakes, for instance. But everything on the list could be made with what I had on hand. Here's what I came up with:

Main Dishes:
scrambled eggs with cheese, toast
pancakes with whipped cream
french toast
lentil-rice casserole
broccoli-potato soup
bean burgers with a side of broccoli
quesadillas with cheese and beans (and homemade tortillas using Lindsey's recipe)
Mexican pizza (using beans, cheese, onion--we make our own crust)
homemade macaroni and cheese

Snacks:
popcorn (barbecue-spiced popcorn for adults--Jacob makes a fabulous bbq spice mix)
hard-boiled eggs
laughing cow cheese
yogurt (if I had 1 tsp. of yogurt to use as starter)--which I could use to make smoothies as well
peanut-butter-and-jelly tortilla roll-ups (if I made tortillas)
homemade ginger ale--not really a snack, but I put it in this category anyway :)

Desserts:
homemade pudding
lemon bars
fruit fondue with chocolate ganache
crystallized ginger dipped in chocolate ganache

I could also use the apricot-jalapeno jam on top of meatloaf, or in meatballs. I could use the beans the same way.

This is not actually my meal plan (it needs more fresh fruits and veggies and more protein), and don't worry, I'll go shopping soon! It's just a fun brainstorming activity to help me creatively use up my leftovers. A great book that taught me a lot in this area is The Use-It-Up Cookbook by Lois Carlson Willand.

What do you think? Any more ideas for me? How do you creatively cook with what you have on hand, and find uses for leftovers?

Thrift Store Finds

Last week I stopped at a thrift store hoping to find a few frames for gifts I was making for my aunties. I didn't find frames, but was very happy with what I did find!

I'd been praying for ice skates for the girls. I really wanted to take Kardelen skating this winter, and didn't think we could afford to buy her skates. Look what I found for one dollar!


The funny thing is, they have a He-Man logo on them, and He-Man was my favorite show when I was little! (Who knows why?!)

The second thing I found for two dollars was this skirt. I need to alter it a little, but I love the fabric! It was made in India--doesn't it look like it, too?


I'm thankful to the Lord for providing for our family--He's been so good to us. (You can find more stories of God's blessings to us here.)

How has God provided for you lately?

The Apron Book

Since we've been talking about aprons, I wanted to share a book I read about aprons that I really enjoyed: The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort by EllynAnne Geisel. Since all the other members of my family are under-the-weather today and I'm not feeling especially creative, I'm simply going to let Amazon.com describe it for you:

The Apron Book provides full-color photos of new and vintage aprons from the author's collection, patterns for four basic apron styles and myriad variations, recipes, tips on collecting and preserving vintage aprons, and heart-tugging stories from the author's traveling apron exhibit. The book also explores the heyday of aprons and looks at the various roles aprons still play when worn in the kitchen, around the house, by the backyard grill, on the job, and for special occasions.

It was such a fun read! It's been two years since I've read it, so I'm planning to request it again from our library. You may also enjoy EllynAnne's website--it's well worth the visit.

By the way, The Apron Chronicles exhibit is currently at Ironworld, if you're up that way. It may be coming to your area, too--you can find the schedule here.

Birthday and Apron Fun

Thanks for all your birthday wishes! It was a fun day. Jacob surprised me by making a wonderful breakfast that morning: sourdough blueberry waffles, strawberries, homemade whipped cream, maple breakfast sausage, and orange juice in champagne glasses. Though I loved all of it, the girls were surprisingly unimpressed by the blueberries in the waffles--they wouldn't eat them! Ah, well, it was a lovely birthday breakfast anyways, picky children and all.

We went to town after breakfast to run a few errands and get free ice cream from Dairy Queen and coffee from Caribou--I love birthday clubs!


Then, since we were so close, I stopped at Jo-Ann just to look at the fabrics I thought I wanted for my apron. At least, that's what I told Jacob. And I did intend just to look--but then the thought crossed my mind that it would be a pity for the pattern to come in the mail and not have fabric to start it! And when I saw that one of the fabrics was nearly gone, I thought I'd better buy them, just to be safe. :)

The Spanish Lace will be the main bib and skirt fabric, and the accents will be the cocoa polka-dot fabric. I love them together!

We went for a short road trip on Sunday and Monday, and ended up coming home early to beat a near-blizzard that was on the way. When I got home, guess what I found?


I ordered the apron pattern Thursday night, and Marie-Madeline Studio mailed it the very next day! I'm impressed.

I've read through the pattern, and today I washed and pressed the fabric. I'm hoping to start it tomorrow!

Happy Birthday

It's my birthday today!

I'm making myself cinnamon rolls for breakfast. My mom used to make me a special candlelight breakfast every morning on my birthday, with orange juice in wine glasses and our special china. So it doesn't seem like a birthday without a fancy breakfast. And I've been craving cinnamon rolls for weeks.

Jacob will cook some kind of fabulous dinner, with several courses and a decadent dessert. Not tonight, since he works; but sometime soon. It's always a surprise, and it's always something new. Just to give you an example: one year the main dish was homemade Mexican chicken kiev (from scratch!), last year one of the side dishes was Rick Bayless' fried plantain turnovers, and one year the dessert was Death-by-Chocolate cake. I am a very, very lucky woman.

One thing I decided a few months ago was that sometime this year, I'm going to make myself another apron. Not that I don't adore the one Anna made for me for my birthday a few years ago, but it would be fun to have a choice of aprons you love, don't you think?

I started shopping around for fabrics at our local quilt shop and Jo-Ann. I'm searching for something in earthtones, like brown and green, with a pattern that's more modern than feminine. I think I found it, and the perfect accent fabric; but I haven't bought it yet. I'm still thinking. Don't want to rush into it, right?

I know exactly the kind of apron I want, having seen it about a year ago and falling in love with it then. So I took my birthday money from Mom (thanks, Mom Lynda!) and bought the pattern for the Chic Sisters Apron from Marie-Madeleline Studio. I love it!

I hope it comes soon. I can't wait.


P.S. Here's me on my 1st birthday.

Go-Fish Game

I'm hooked.

Okay, bad pun. (My husband's the only one who can make good jokes in our family.) But after making the Go-Fish game with Laura last weekend, it's been all I can think about.

After we made one for the girls, I persuaded Laura to make another set with me for one of our friends, and today I made yet another set. I love this game.

The tutorial was here, and super-easy. (The page recently disappeaed, but I'll leave the link up just hoping it magically reappears someday!) I'd like to add a few tips, though, having made (or having a hand in making) thirty-two of the little guys in the last seven days.

~Make fish in pairs. It adds another dimension of learning to the game. You can also play around with different textures: make two from sequiny fabric (is that a word?), two from corduroy, etc.

~Magnet tip: the tutorial has you sew around a fish shape traced on fabric, and leave a small opening for slipping the magnet through. Then you sew the opening closed. Laura and I found it easier to simply place the magnet inside the layers of fabric before you sew around the entire fish shape. (We put it in the middle of the fish's body so the presser foot wouldn't run over it.) It eliminates the hassle of stopping and starting.

~They're not just for fishing anymore. Our magnetic friends also stick to the fridge for counting and sorting (imagine that!), and the fishing rods also pick up alphabet magnets when you dip them into the bag.

~Centering pictures: if you're using a fabric with a child's favorite character on it, center the character across the whole fish, not just the fish's body. This is because you're going to sew an arc across the fish's body to hold the magnet in place, and it can interfere with the picture. I learned this the hard way today. The fishies still look cute, but they would've looked nicer had I not had to sew across Curious George.

~Do anything your heart desires. Love iron-on transfer paper like I do? Print out pictures of your family members on it, iron them onto fabric, and turn those into little fishies. (Look! I caught a Daddy!) Or write alphabet letters on them if you're studying the alphabet. Embellish the fishies with buttons, or embroidery, or. . .whatever your creative mind can imagine. Then send me pictures! I'd love to see them.

~Have the kids help. Depending on the age of the child, kids can help you choose the fabric at the store (or from your stash), place magnets inside the layers, push the magnets around inside the fish (so you can sew them in the "nose"), put away pins, and best of all, sit on your lap as you sew. Kardelen and I had such a special time together doing all of these today while Bia napped. It was one of those moments I'd dreamed about before we had kids--anticipating a little girl who would sit on my lap as I sew. It was sweet.

~Gifts, gifts, gifts. Birthdays, Christmas, you name it. Great for boys, who can be hard to sew for. Very inexpensive. Lots of fun. It's one of those classic kids' toys, don't you think?

~Bag it. Use coordinating fabric to sew a drawstring bag to keep the fishies and poles in. (Make two poles per game, if you like--then they'll be able to play with a parent or friend. And wind the strings around them before you slip them in, so they don't tangle.)

I'd love to hear and see pictures if any of you make a Go-Fish game!

Happy fishing.

Fun with Auntie Laura

My friend Laura came to visit this past weekend. We've been good friends since college but hadn't seen each other in nearly two years. What fun we had together!

It was the first time she met Sofia, and she had made a lovely Winnie-the-Pooh quilt for her!

She also brought something special for Kardelen: a bear family puzzle by Melissa and Doug. I really like Melissa and Doug toys and puzzles but the girls have never had one. I think Laura and I had just as much fun as Kardelen dressing the little bears!


When the girls went to bed we started a fun project together: making this go-fish game. It was lots of fun and very easy! Laura had brought a stack of thirties fabrics to use, since she knows I love them! Didn't they turn out cute?


As you can see, the girls can also stick the magnetic fish onto the fridge. The next picture is a bit fuzzy, but Sofia's smile is so sweet. She loves her go-fish game and has been asking to play it several times a day!


On Saturday during the girls' rest time, Laura and I made a few baby presents: personalized onesies with coordinating burp cloths. Did I mention that I am crazy about the thirties fabrics she brought for me?!



I haven't spent so much fun-time being crafty in a long time! It was so much fun to do a crafty project with a friend!

Laura fit right in with our family--hopefully that's a good thing, right? :) On Saturday afternoon she started to read to Kardelen, and read her the entire Winnie-the-Pooh collection book, 11 stories and 334 pages! And Sofia played go-fish and read her new-favorite book The Lady with the Alligator Purse again and again with her. You can tell the girls love spending time with "Auntie" Laura.

Laura, you're welcome here anytime!

Snack Roundup, part 3

When we visited my mother-in-law last Easter, she shared a plate of applesauce cookies she'd made using her mother-in-law's recipe. (Got all that?) When I made them at home last week, the girls loved their great-grandma Lucy's cookies, and I loved the family history.

The cookies are soft and cake-like, and the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves that spices them fills your home with a wonderful fragrance! These cookies are great to pack in lunches or for an afternoon snack. By the way, you can make crockpot applesauce and freeze it in snack-size freezer bags to have homemade applesauce ready anytime, for recipes like this.

Great-Grandma Lucy's Applesauce Cookies

2 cups flour (I used wheat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup nuts (chopped)
1 cup raisins (chopped) (I didn't chop them)
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup applesauce
1 egg, well-beaten

Sift flour, salt, and spices. (I just used a whisk to stir them up briskly.) Add nuts and raisins.

Cream butter; add sugar gradually.

Stir soda into applesauce. Add beaten egg. Combine with creamed mixture. Add dry ingredients.

Drop by teaspoonful 2 to 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. (Cookies will still look somewhat shiny when you take them out.) Makes about 48 cookies.


Breakfast Cookies

These cookies are made with dry cereal and are also very healthy. I shared the recipe a few weeks ago here.


I hope you've enjoyed these snack recipes. Thanks for sharing yours, too--feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me your favorites anytime. (See the e-mail me button in the column on the right.)

My blog's all about blessing your family--and I hope that taking the time to make healthy snacks for your family, maybe even letting the kids help stir them up with you--will bring you closer together and nourish your relationship as well as your tummies. :)

Snack Roundup, part 2

Welcome to part two of my snack recipe roundup! Today's first recipe is super-healthy and can be whipped up in a flash; the next two are wholesome classic snacks we've come to love.

Honey Milk Balls
from More-With-Less cookbook

I made these Sunday afternoon on a whim--they take literally 5 minutes to stir up. And no baking--they're ready right away.

Even more, they're super-healthy, made with natural sweetener and plenty of protein and fiber. I thought the honey taste was a little strong, though, so next time I'll try using a little less honey, and maybe adding chocolate ovaltine powder to the mix. (The addition of chocolate is justified by all the vitamins and good things in the ovaltine, don't you think?!)


Ingredients:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup uncooked rolled oats (or 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs)

Mix well, then knead by hand till blended. Shape into small balls, or roll into a log and cut off slices. Makes 2 dozen.


Graham Squares and Granola Bars
Two other yummy snack recipes our family enjoys are cinnamon graham squares, which have become a classic with us; and peanut butter granola bars, which we make frequently. (And are much more economical than buying granola bars at the store, I might add!)

Stay tuned for tomorrow's last snack roundup post. I'll share the recipe for Great-Grandma Lucy's Applesauce Cookies, and more!

Snack Roundup, part 1

Healthy snacks are my latest food interest. It's always fun to try new recipes; and I know I'll save money by not having to buy crackers and other snack food. So I've been trying to make a homemade baked snack once or twice a week. Today I wanted to start sharing two of the snacks we've enjoyed lately, Apple Oatmeal Snack Bars and Wheat Thins. (Stay tuned over the next few days for more snack recipes.)


Apple Oatmeal Snack Bars
adapted from Favorite Brand Name Silly Snacks

These gooey snacks were wonderful, and a great way to finish off leftover applesauce. You can also use apple butter instead. (We made so much apple butter two years ago, we're still enjoying it now!) You can tell from the photo how gooey they were--a little messy to eat, but very yummy. :)


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used wheat)
3/4 cup uncooked rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup applesauce (we made crockpot applesauce with sliced apples frozen last fall)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup applesauce
1/3 cup raisins (we didn't use these)
1 Tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square pan.

Combine flour, oats, baking powder, and salt.

In large bowl, beat sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium speed till well blended. Whisk in 1/2 cup applesauce, egg, and vanilla. Add flour mixture; stir until well blended. Spoon half of batter in prepared pan, spreading evenly.

In small bowl, combine 1 cup applesauce, raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour evenly over batter. Spoon remaining batter over the top, spreading evenly.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 15 minutes; cut into 16 bars.


Wheat Thins
from More-With-Less cookbook

The girls were crazy about these! I'd tried making crackers a few years ago and they didn't turn out at all--so I wouldn't even have tried these had not my good friend Kandi made them and recommended them. The recipe is easy and very tasty, allowing you to flavor the crackers any way you like. (We made one batch plain and one with thyme.)

I was talking to my sister on the phone as the wheat thins cooled, and all of a sudden realized the girls were climbing up to the counter and snitching them from the cooling rack! They'd eaten nearly 1/4 of them before I realized it. So the recipe was a hit.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine:
2 cups wheat flour
2 Tablespoons wheat germ (I substituted wheat flour)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons powdered milk

Cut in with pastry blender (or two knives): 6 Tablespoons cold butter.

Combine separately and stir in: 1/2 cup water, 1 Tablespoon molasses.

Knead a little till smooth.

Grease two 10 by 15 inch cookie sheets; sprinkle with cornmeal.

Divide dough in half. Roll out each half directly onto a cookie sheet with floured rolling pin, dime-thin. Sprinkle lightly with paprika, garlic, onion, seasoned salt, or your choice of spices. Run rolling pin over once more.

Prick with fork. Cut into squares or triangles. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Note: Ours didn't turn out super-crunchy; in fact, the wheat thins in the middle of the pan were more chewy. I think next time I might try to separate them after cutting them, so they bake more evenly. They were still tasty, though!


I'd love to hear about the homemade snacks you like to make! Please leave a comment below if you'd like to share.