My recipe test this week is another breakfast one. I have been eating the Portable Western Omelettes almost every day for the last couple of weeks. Time to mix it up!
This recipe comes from A Beautiful Mess. It is super easy to make and involves one of my fave foods...quinoa!
I'm not going to detail the instructions here. Just click on the picture and it'll take you right to it.
But I will say that I give this recipe a BIG thumbs up. Here's my version! I followed all of the parts of the recipe except I used whole milk not almond milk and I added raspberries instead of blackberries. Still yummy, though!
Okay, so I have managed to impress even myself these past three weeks. I have made a new recipe from my pinterest board each and every week so far this year! Go me!!! This week I made a hashbrown casserole. Not something that would normally even be on my radar except that my mother has a lot of frozen hashbrowns in her freezer. The reason for all of the hashbrowns remains a mystery but I needed to find something to do with all those darn potatoes!!!! The recipe I found was from The Daily Meal and was called Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole. If you click on the link above, it'll take you to the recipe. Their version looked like this: Mine turned out a bit different because (of course) I didn't have all the required ingredients on hand and had to do some substitutions. Still, it tasted pretty yummy! Here's my version:
It tasted pretty gosh darn good but (I have to admit)...is not very good for you. It is basically a lot of melted butter, sour cream and cheese mixed with some onions, hashbrowns and a can of soup. It totally reminded me of the kind of cooking I get down South! However, since we are under Doctor's orders to feed my Mum full fat everything (no skinny lattes for her, no sirree!!!!) it worked out just fine! Doubt I'll make it again but at least I can say that there are fewer bags of hashbrowns in my Mum's freezer!!!! (Now if I could only think of something to do with the bags that are still left......) Happy Cooking! Ms. Hughes
The
recipe there was a bit different from what I ended up with but the
basic idea is the same (that seems to be a theme with these recipes so
far, doesn't it?) and it turned out really well.
Below is the recipe how it was on the website. They used chicken, bacon, walnuts, and dried cranberries in theirs.
Above is my version. I used bacon, feta, apples and lettuce. No dried cranberries. No chicken. But have to say that it was still delish!!!! This recipe gets a high score with me. I would definitely eat it again. (I don't make bacon often but, from now on, I'll tuck away a few pieces to make up this for lunch!) I better watch out...too many more cooking successes and I might start thinking I like the whole cooking thing.
Nah! Would still rather read a book! Cheers! Ms. Hughes
This is my new motto for all of the recipes that are on my pinterest recipe board. I have pinned A LOT of recipes over the past months. Lots of main courses but also lots and lots of deserts. I'm not sure why I pin so many them...I don't even eat desert regularly! And I don't eat gluten! They just look so gosh darn good, I guess! Anywho, I have decided that I am going to try to make one recipe per week this year. It will hardly put a dent in the number I have pinned but at least I will know if I like the way they taste or just the way they look on pinterest!!!! Anyone who knows me, knows I don't really like to cook. It doesn't help that I literally have a 14"x 20" amount of counter space to cook on in my very, very tiny kitchen at home. The space is the size of a cutting board. (I'll have to take a picture one day to show you just how small my kitchen really is!) But, now that I am at my mother's house half the time, I have a large kitchen at my disposal with a gas oven. Yay! So, the plan is to cook at least one thing from my "Recipes to Try" Pinterest board each week. I am here for dinner most nights (even the nights I don't sleep here) and have Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings to cook as well. I should be able to do this, right? Right! (Just keep saying that and I might eventually believe you!!!!) So, this past Sunday was recipe testing session #1 from the board. I decided to try something that would be useful this first week back to school. I pinned this awhile ago because it looked so good! It is from the Healthy Foodie and is called Portable Western Omelets. The recipe comes from a cookbook I have never heard of but that sounds interesting called Primal Cravings.
I changed some of the ingredients so I could use what I had on hand. Instead of ham or prosciutto, I used bacon. And I didn't have spinach so used eggs, mushrooms, scallions, green pepper and parsley. They turned out like this:
And I am happy to announce that they are also very, very tasty! I individually wrapped and froze the omelets and have been taking them to school. They microwave up perfectly and are very yummy! And they fill me up until recess. I am calling this first effort a huge success!!!! Now, what to make this coming Sunday?!?! Hmmm... Stay tuned...
As per usual, I have been composing blog posts on the bus, while walking the dog, during my workouts, in my sleep (you get the idea!) and never in front of the computer!
So, here goes...
I am so happy to be back at work and to have the parent/ student/teacher goal setting conferences behind me. To have two VERY long days in the first week back was very, very tiring! I was so pleased that, for the most part, the students have a good understanding of what they want to improve in both their academic performance and behavioural choices. And, I am glad, too, that the class is starting to work together more and help each other to work on turning their goals into reality.
I love this time of year. It is when I do book studies on winter and snow. (Even though the snow seems to have disappeared, thank goodness!!!!) We started our week making folders to store all of the work we will be doing. They turned out great!
They were based on a picture I found (where else?) on pinterest! The site that had the original is Artsonia.
We watched the video of the classic book The Snowman by Raymond Briggs and then wrote a reader's response about our favourite part.
I love this story. I love that it is a wordless book and makes the reader infer and make connections about the events happening. And, bonus, the beginning is introduced by a young David Bowie which gave me great memories of my childhood (His was the first concert I ever attended. It was also the very first concert at BC Place. If you know when that was, you have an idea of how old I am!)
Then we started studying Jan Brett's book The Mitten.
We have read it and re-read it and re-read it some more. We did sequencing activities, retelling activities and learned some mitten poems as well.
This coming week we will read a different version of The Mitten and compare/contrast the two. (More on that to come...)
Then it will be on to Snowmen at Night and some art activities to go with it. This is one of my favourite stories and we will be doing some art kind of like this...
We will also start working on some non-fiction activities to compliment the science unit the class has started on whales with Mrs. V. I headed off to the library today to borrow a bunch of books because the non-fiction in our library is still packed! Wish those shelving units would get here already!!!!
Anywho, I promise to try to write these posts more often at the computer (and not everywhere else!)
Ms. Hughes
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Sometimes the smallest change can make a HUGE difference.
Since the start of the year the class has been going through pencils at an astonishing rate. They had a basket to pick up pencils if they couldn't find theirs and another basket to put broken pencils but both were inevitably empty each day at 3pm.
Just where do all those pencils go? Honestly, if I didn't know better, I would think that they were secretly eating them or something! Or perhaps they were running off to live with the socks that disappear in my laundry each week?
After sharpening and putting out the very last of our pencil supply FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, I decided that something had to be done.
I saw an idea on pinterest (where else?) and decided to give it a go.
And, so, the Pencil Hospital was born!
Check it out.
The idea is that sharp pencils are in the top drawer and "hurt" (or unsharpened pencils) go in the bottom hospital drawer.
Some of the students decided to sort the pencils and use the top part of the unit as well. So, now the Pencil Hospital looks like this:
And, lo and behold,I took this photo on Friday afternoon after fixing up all those "hurt" pencils and the spaces are filled with pencils.Yippee!!!
We have now decided that the buckets that hold extra scissors and glue are going to be "hotels" and the supplies need to be there each afternoon so that they can get a good rest in their "hotel rooms."
It is such a small, silly thing to rename the baskets with "hospital" or "hotel" but it seems to spark something in the students' imaginations and suddenly they buy in to the idea of putting things away. Will wonders never cease?
One of my biggest failings (or perhaps it is a blessing in disguise, I really don't know) is that I have a gazillion ideas that will not get done in a day, a week, a month or even a year. Probably not in a lifetime! This is evidenced by my pinterest board which at last count had 50 boards and 6,464 pins!!!!
I have a ton of home ideas and an equal (or higher) number of school pins. I tend to get more of the school ideas accomplished since I spend most of my waking hours there but I haven't given up hope of accomplishing some of the decorating ideas for home!
That said, with the move to the new school and Halloween fast approaching and I have pulled a few pins that I really, really, really want to get done. Some are about organizing the new space and some are lessons I'd like to do in the coming weeks. Fingers crossed that I manage to do them!
Having my office area looking something like this - although I know that I do not have anywhere near this amount of shelving. I still want to create an organized, calm working space for myself.
I really like the visual for this lesson on adjectives. I will definitely be making time to do this lesson in the next week. And them maybe a poem can come out of it?
This lesson is just truly awesome. It is a lesson on differentiation. A lesson that is meant to show students that teachers do not give students what they might perceive as "fair" (the same for all) but what they need (meeting the needs of the individual). The teacher has each student imagine a pretend "owee" and then proceeds to put a band aid on the same spot on each student regardless of where they say their pretend owee is. The lesson is about giving everyone the same thing (putting the band aids on the same spots regardless) versus giving each student what they NEED (putting the band aid on the spot that is "hurt"). It is a great visual lesson and I think it will really bring home the reasons why not all students have the same work, same expectations etc. I'll be doing this one!
I want to do this to my rollie cart. Now that we don't have teacher desks in our rooms, I have created a rolling desk in a cart like this. Doesn't it look cheerful all dolled up? This one is on my do soon list!
This is the first art lesson I want to do in the DaVinci studio. I am so thrilled to have a real, honest to goodness art room. You may not know this but art is my favourite, favourite, favourite subject. Expect to see a lot of art integrated into my lessons now that I have an art studio at my fingertips!!!!
I really like this. It promotes independence in the children, puts a stop to the "When's lunch, Ms. Hughes?" and teaches math skills. What's more is there to say?
I just can't seem to stay away from school stuff. My one day off this weekend (as yesterday was spent at school doing the walkabout) and I could be relaxing on the couch, drinking tea and reading a book BUT I am on the computer pinning school ideas like a fiend!
Here are a few of my favourites. You may seem them popping up in our new school over the coming weeks!
A behaviour management system (i.e. "catch them making good choices") that combines making good choices with math. Win win!
This one is a definite to do in our room. It is a great visual system that teaches the students everything that I am constantly saying to them when they have issues with each other. It is brilliant!
This one is a MUST DO. I will be making these with the students in the new DaVinci studio soon after moving in. Aren't they wonderful? I can already imagine how unique each jack-o-lantern will be. Can hardly wait to do this!!!
I hope everyone is enjoying a cozy Sunday. It really is a perfect rainy day for a cuppa, a book and a spot on the couch. Think I might have to finally get off the computer and go do just that!
Wish it was taking a nap in a place like this but, no, I have to deal with my messy bedroom and a cat and dog vying for position on the bed. Still a nap is a nap!
2. Play with the kitten
I mean, awwww, who wouldn't want to play with all that sweetness wrapped up in a little furry, cuddly bundle?
3. Read a book
Just finished this one. It is one of a series that Jude Deveraux has written about a little town named Edilean and the people that live there. A simple, sweet, happy ever after kind of read.
4. Surf the web
I can never get enough of design blogs. The first two are new ones to me but the bottom one is a personal favourite. I long to create that house by the sea look in our apartment. Hmmm....maybe this summer?
6. Go on itunes and listen to the latest songs. Then buy a few!
7. Answer emails. This one is especially good because most of my emails are from letting me know that someone has repinned a pin of mine. This means checking out that person's board and, before I know it, hours have gone by!
8. Put together new itunes lists for my ipod. Again hours and hours of report card avoidance!
9. Take a bath
I am fortunate enough to have a clawfoot bathtub and all I can say is....pure heaven! Ours is white, not yellow, but we do have ruffled shower curtains like that. Only in a deep turquoisey colour. We have lived here for almost 6 months and I bathe every day. So far I have only used the shower twice! I love, love, love the tub!
and.....
10. Spend all day writing this post!
p.s. believe it or not but in and around all the avoidance tactics I used this weekend, I actually got all of my report cards written! Well, draft 1 at least. Tomorrow I will print them out and edit. I still find that I do better editing on a hard copy, you know?
We are heading into the time of year when bags and bags full of children's work gets sent home and, as a parent, I know that it is impossible to keep it all. As much as we all want to. As proud of our kids as we are for their progress, it is just not feasible to end up with 13 years of saved school work (and that is not even accounting for preschool).
When my daughter was young, it was simple enough to choose 4 or 5 pieces of writing, math etc to put into her scrapbook ,which I must admit kind of stalled out at about grade 3 (she is now in grade 10) as scrapbooking is not my forte. As an artist myself, I was always most interested in her art work. So many wonderful images, such creativity, such growth. I have always felt that it is through a child's art that we really see who they are now and who they are becoming.
Over the years I have framed a few pieces like this one that she did in grade 2. It is a print made from a styrofoam plate carved with the design. She did it while attending the (then new) arts school for elementary students. I like the balance of it, the colour choices and her simple, yet effective, drawings. It makes me happy.
But, lets face it, there is not enough wall space in our house to accomodate all the fabulous things she has done over the years and still leave room for anything else (like the artwork we collect or my own pieces). And, while having it filed away neatly in a storage box, is one way to hold on to momentos it will not allow you to enjoy the creativity your child showed at each age. Plus, we run into the space issue again. We live in 750 square feet. Where to put her school stuff?
This morning I found this neat idea (on Pinterest of course!) and wanted to share it. There is an artist named Jan Eleni (images to the right from her website) who will take your child's artwork, scan it, shrink it, and then frame it (archival quality) in a fabulous grid. Very crisp. Very clean. And one frame can show a year or a number of years worth of work. Now why didn't I think of that? Sometimes it just takes one person to think outside the box (or, in this case, outside the size of the original artwork). Seems to me that this idea could be achieved at home as a diy. I know that some of the pieces I have saved are too big for my scanner but I bet I could have them scanned and put on a flash drive for not too much money at somewhere like Kinko's. So, I am adding this idea to the 1,113 other decorating ideas I have on my decorating board on Pinterest. I kid you not. I have 1, 113 other ideas on that one board. On one board. I know that I will probably never see most of those ideas to fruition but, like dreaming about winning the lottery, it is fun to find cool ideas, pin them and think to myself "one day..."
Although I must admit that it never really feels right to say that. For me, the "new" year has started in September since I was 3 years old! January 1st just feels like two weeks into term 2 in my world!
I hope everyone has had a very restful and lovely holiday time. We managed to move house, set up for a party, put up (and take down)our Christmas tree, bake Christmas cookies, enjoy Christmas, have a dinner party and unpack (plus lots more!) in the last two weeks. Can you say busy?!?!
I am feeling fairly settled in to our new home and am ready to get back to the routine of teaching. It is always nice to have some time off to rest but I do get a lot more done when I am in some sort of routine. Must admit that I thrive on the organizing and planning of my time and get far more done when I am busiest than when I have all the time in the world. Crazy!
Thought I would share some great ideas I have found on pinterest lately. Am hoping to be able to fit some of these ideas into the weeks ahead!
So many ideas and so little time! I will be happy if I get to do just some of these in the coming weeks. And I have a gazillion more ideas pinned on my pinterest boards. I love the internet for its ability to let people share ideas so easily. Between pinterest and my teaching boards I have a wealth of information at my fingertips!
![007_thumb[5]](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IrJScoMcKV4/UHr5KWh6v5I/AAAAAAAAFPA/Ies4vwmCaOI/007_thumb%25255B5%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800 "007_thumb[5]")
