5 Fun Fall Activities for Preschoolers

One of "My Most Popular Posts" right now is "10 Fun Fall Crafts for Toddlers." That seems appropriate, yet all of images from that 2011 post have disappeared due to Pinterest's changes. Here's a 2013 update!

These activities are all FRUGAL, FUN, & KID-FRIENDLY. I hope you'll try a few out with your kiddos!



1. Fall Nature Canvas

We actually made this one in September, but we keep replenishing our leaves as the old ones shrivel up. You need a foam board, straight pins, a shirt or paint to cover your board, and leaves. The girls painted the board yellow (washable paint). Then, we went on a Nature Walk and gathered pretty leaves that they stuck on the board with pins. 

This craft is super simple but really adds a touch of Fall to the house! Plus, we used it as a learning opportunity and looked up our leaves in the tree guide. Now the girls know what trees are around our house.

2. Easy Popcorn Balls

I can't remember what prompted us to make popcorn balls (a book??), but when I found this super EASY recipe, we had to do it. The girls enjoyed melting the butter and marshmallow, and they REALLY loved adding sprinkles at the end. Our Fall popcorn balls look more like Christmas ones since they used green and red sprinkles, but they were FUN and DELICIOUS.

3. Crunchy Fall Leaf Pictures

Photo Credit

We haven't done this one since 2011 :) so I think we'll revisit it next week since the leaves here are getting pretty crunchy. These pictures also make lovely Fall decorations for your home. Plus, the girls love to see their handiwork on display. A word of advice: If you do this activity inside, put a baking sheet underneath the paper to catch all that leaf confetti. It makes a MESS! But the finished products are beautiful.

4. A Thankful Tree

Photo Credit

We have made a Thankful Tree for the past two years. Unfortunately, I can't find my pictures to share ours with you, but both most closely resembled Emily Rose's (pictured above). We gathered sticks and tree limbs from the yard and fit them into a 1/2 gallon glass milk jug. Then, I cut out paper leaves {here's a template} which we placed beside the Thankful Tree. 

During our morning devotionals, we would each share a blessing, and I would write it on a leaf {one per person} with the date and each girls' name on the back. The girls string the leaves with yarn, and I tie them to the tree. I keep the leaves so each year for beautiful memories. The girls look forward to adding leaves and it's a perfect opportunity to praise God for all His sweet gifts!

5. Finger-Painted Pumpkins

Photo Credit

Our girls are still too young to cut out pumpkins, but I really want them to participate in the decorating. My mom blessed us with three pumpkins -- one for each girl -- so we're going to have a go at this idea {thanks, Pinterest!}. 

Basically, you apply painter's tape to your pumpkin and use an X-acto knife to cut out the image you want. Then, your child finger paints to her hearts' content over the painter's tape (and anywhere else). Once the paint dries, you remove the tape to reveal your picture! I think the girls will love making their own pictures and getting to paint their pumpkins.

Those are just 5 simple Fall activities you can do with your little ones (and even your big kids). For more fun Fall ideas, check out my Fall Recipes, Fall Decor, & Fall Crafts for Kids boards on Pinterest.

Happy Fall, ya'll!

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Homemade Vanilla Extract--The Quick & Super Easy Version

Making vanilla extract is probably the easiest do-it-yourself project you can do. If you like to give bottles away at Christmas time, then this recipe is for you! That is, unless you're super-planner-woman who can make a huge batch of vanilla in plenty of time to let it set for 2 months before distributing it to family and friends.

Alas, I am not that woman, which I realized because I haven't made my own vanilla since 2011, the last time I used my vanilla extract recipe. 

Why? 

Because I detest waiting for the vanilla to infuse. I'm like a hungry toddler. Gimme gimme.

In my original recipe, the vanilla beans have to infuse for 8 whole weeks before you can use it. I can't wait 8 weeks!

This recipe from the May 2013 Southern Living is perfect for the impatient (or the last minute Christmas gift giver) because 7-14 days is all the time it takes to make your own vanilla extract.

Wanna know the trick?

You cook the vodka or bourbon, and pour it over the vanilla beans. Voila! Instant infusion! 

Here's the recipe, courtesy of Southern Living:

Ingredients

3 vanilla beans
3 cups bourbon or vodka


Directions

1. Split 1 vanilla bean and scrape seeds into a clean 1/2-pint jar. You can cut bean crosswise. Place in jar. Repeat with remaining beans and 2 (1/2-pint) jars.

2. Cook bourbon or vodka in a large saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes. (Do not cook longer than 5 minutes or it can overheat and ignite.) Pour 1 cup bourbon or vodka into each jar. Cool mixture to room temperature (about 30 minutes).

3. Cover jars tightly, and let stand at room temperature 1-2 weeks before using. Shake jars once a day. The longer the mixture steeps, the better the flavor!

4. After 1-2 weeks, pour liquid through a fine wire-mesh strainer into clean bottles with tight-fitting lids; discard solids.) Store in a cool, dark place up to 1 year. 

Some Helpful Notes:

• You can double the recipe. That's why I ended up with 2 pint jars, which is 1 quart or 4 cups.
• You need to be very careful when cooking alcohol as vapors can ignite. I used a large saucepan to contain vapors. Be sure not to heat it longer than 5 minutes.
• For a pure vanilla flavor use vodka. I believe the bourbon version will be slightly darker and have a "different" flavor.

Making homemade vanilla extract is very easy. This recipe speeds up the process. I hope you will enjoy it! Happy baking!!

The final product: Two Pints of Pure 100% Vanilla Extract

What are your favorite uses for vanilla extract? Have you ever made your own?



Praying God's blessings on you,



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How to Make Homemade Yogurt the Easy Way

Cora enjoying a yogurt parfait with fresh blueberries & granola

If your family eats a lot of yogurt like mine does, then chances are you've noticed how expensive it has gotten in the stores lately. We used to buy the individual cartons, but for economical reasons have switched to the 32-ounce tubs instead. Still, yogurt isn't cheap.

But after finding a simple recipe for homemade yogurt that doesn't require purchasing a yogurt maker, I started making my own. I have been making our family's yogurt for over two years now and have found it to be very cost-effective, easy, & delicious. Plus, I like that I can control the ingredients including sugars and preservatives.

Yogurt-making may sound intimidating, but, honestly, if you have a slow cooker, then you're all set!

What You Need

The Cast of Characters: A 4-Man Show

• 1/2 gallon pasteurized milk*
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt, with live/active cultures (check label) 
• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk or 1 packet plain gelatin (optional-to use as a thickener) 
• vanilla bean (optional-for flavoring) 
• 4-quart or 6-quart slow cooker 
• 2-3 large bath towels to wrap slow cooker in

*It is crucial that you do NOT use ultra-pasteurized milk. Check the label on your milk first!

Grade A Pasteurized Homogenized Milk

Directions

1. Pour milk into your slow cooker. You can also scrape in some vanilla bean for extra flavor if you want. Turn the slow cooker on the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 2 1/2 hours.

Bubbly Milky Goodness

Remember: Use the lowest setting

2. Turn slow cooker off. Unplug, and let sit for 3 hours.

And...it's off!

3. After 3 hours, add 1/2 cup yogurt and any thickener you like (if you want). (I have used nonfat dried milk in the past, but currently, I don't use any thickeners.) Whisk everything together thoroughly and return lid to slow cooker.

Yes, that's a 1/2 cup measuring cup

4. Wrap your cooker in towels to hold in the heat. Let yogurt set for 8 hours or overnight.

My girls' princess towel

5. After 8 hours, your yogurt is ready to eat! You will find that it is not as thick as some store-bought yogurt, but if you like it plain, it's ready. 

See those black specks? That's vanilla bean.

However, if you want your yogurt a little thicker, you can strain it using a colander lined with cheese cloth or ultra-absorbent paper towels over a larger bowl. 

For thicker yogurt, just strain it.

Put the yogurt in the refrigerator while it strains; you can strain for as long as you want. The longer it strains, the thicker your yogurt will be. My husband likes his the consistency of Greek yogurt, so sometimes I will strain it for 6-12 hours.

Note: One batch of unstrained homemade yogurt yields a little over two 32-oz. containers. However, if you strain your yogurt for 6-12 hours, you may only make 32 ounces.
   

2 Dannon 32-ounce tubs replaced with homemade organic yogurt

6. Once your yogurt is ready, you can add your own flavorings and sweeteners to it.  Sometimes I will keep one tub plain to use in place of sour cream or in recipes. Then, I will add agave, honey, or raw sugar to the other container of yogurt. 

I like mine with cinnamon & honey.

You can add whatever you have on hand and control how sweet you make your yogurt. That is the beauty of cooking from scratch.

Helpful Hint 

Start yogurt-making in the afternoon, say around 2:00 or 3:00, so that you don't have to stay up late to complete Steps 3 & 4 and so you will have fresh homemade yogurt waiting for you when you wake up! : )

Even the baby loves her yogurt!

Wasn't that easy? If I can do it, so can you! Why don't you give yogurt-making a try? 

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January's Pinterest Pick: Salted Caramel Pumpkin Muffins, the Perfect Winter Pick-Me-Up

Source: myblessedlife.net via Keri on Pinterest

One of my personal goals for 2013 is to actually make some of the things I've pinned on Pinterest. How many times do you pin something and NEVER get around to doing it. I have 55 boards and over 400 pins and, with the exception of the recipes pinned to my Menu Plan board, I have probably only tackled a handful of the crafts, decor, and recipes pinned. 

So, this month, because it's cold and I love muffins, I attempted Myra at My Blessed Life's Salted Caramel Pumpkin Muffins. 

{If you aren't already, I hope you will follow me on Pinterest.}

Below is a glimpse into the making of the goodness that is the Salted Caramel Pumpkin Muffin. Click here for the recipe. 

Dry Ingredients: Flour, Brown Sugar, Raw Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cranberries, & Pecans

I was concerned about putting dried cranberries in with pumpkin and even considered leaving them out, but I decided to follow the recipe to the tee in order to give a fair assessment of the recipe. 

Honestly, I could take 'em or leave 'em. If you like dried cranberries, go for it; if not, I think the muffins would be just as good, if not better, without them.

Add in Wet Ingredients {Eggs, Milk, Butter, Vanilla, & Pumpkin Puree}

Using brown and raw sugars instead of white make this muffin less sweet but still sweet enough. If you don't have raw sugar, use white or all brown instead.

Blend the wet & dry ingredients and bake for about 15 minutes on 400 degrees. 

Ingredients: Butter, Brown & White Sugars, Vanilla, Milk, Salt, & Confectioner's Sugar

After the muffins are done and have slightly cooled, drizzle on the salted caramel glaze. If you put the glaze on too soon, it will run off, so walk away, make some coffee, then spoon on that yummy caramel goodness.

You can leave off the glaze and it is still pleasantly sweet and yummy, but, honestly, the glaze takes the muffin over the top. Just do it!

My Salted Caramel Pumpkin Muffins with glaze

These muffins are best straight out of the oven with a cup of hot coffee or cocoa, but I warmed up a few for breakfast and they were still delicious the next day. They're the perfect pick-me-up for a cold winter day! Enjoy!

Thanks, Myra!

{If you aren't already, I hope you will follow me on Pinterest.}

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Super Easy, "Healthier" Crockpot Apple Butter: A Fall Favorite!

A few weeks ago, the girls and I visited a local apple orchard to pick apples. We had been reading books about apples and looking at the apple's different parts, so I thought a nice conclusion to our little unit study would be a visit to a place where apples come from (and no, not the grocery store!).

 

We spent about an hour walking among rows and rows of apple trees. We were only allowed to pick from the Red Delicious trees, but there were more than enough apples for our bags to hold. The trees were so low that even my two-year-old could pick them herself although she preferred the ones on the ground.

The owner of the orchard instructed us in proper apple picking etiquette. Just so you know, you hold the branch down with one hand, grab the apple in the other, and twist the apple stem from the branch.

We ended up with a LOT of apples!

 

Unfortunately, none of us like Red Delicious apples; they’re just too mealy in my opinion. Since neither of the girls likes applesauce and I don’t like to waste food, I made apple butter. The weather has been slowly getting cooler, and apple butter is one of my favorite fall foods.

I have made apple butter a few times before using the crockpot, but I couldn’t find my easy-peasy recipe. Not to worry, though, my mom, the super chef, had just made a batch of apple butter using “healthier” ingredients AND the crockpot.

Here’s my mom's delicious, super easy, "healthier," no-peel crockpot apple butter recipe:

Crockpot Apple Butter

14 cups apples, cored & chopped (peel on)

1 ½ cups maple syrup

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 cup raw sugar (turbinado)

2 T cinnamon

Process apples in the food processor until almost applesauce texture. Pour into a very large bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients; combine thoroughly.

Apple mixture prior to cooking

Pour mixture into crockpot set on highest setting. Let boil. Add water as needed. If cooking overnight, turn crockpot down to lowest setting. When apple butter has cooked down, you can use a hand-held blender for a smoother texture or leave as is. Can apple butter using a hot water bath. {For more information about hot water baths, click here.}

I cooked my apples for 4-5 hours on high. Then, before I went to bed, I turned the crockpot down to the lowest setting and let it cook all night and even on until after lunch the next day. The hardest part was coring and cutting up the apples.

We ate fresh, piping hot apple butter on homemade biscuits that morning. Delicious! You can’t get any more “fall” than homemade apple butter.

Thanks, Mom, for the great recipe!

Do you have a favorite fall recipe?

Keri

 

For comments or questions, contact me at: growinginhisglory@gmail.com

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Day 17: Making No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Curious about what we're doing? We're making time each day in the month of July to play with our kids. That might mean doing arts & crafts, splashing in the kiddy pool, or playing dress-up, but whatever you do; turn off the computer, silence the phone, and give your children your complete, undivided attention. You will be blessed!

I have a sweet tooth and love to make desserts; however, it isn't often that I let the girls help me in the kitchen. Actually, Kate used to help me all the time, but Cora is just so messy and because she always wants to help, I usually cook/bake during naptime.

However, I decided to brave it today and make an easy no-bake cookie recipe. The girls were so excited that they were going to get to help mom in the kitchen and make cookies that they were fighting over who got to stand in the chair closest to me. Yes, really.

 They each got a turn pouring the ingredients into the pot. Kate stirred, then Cora.

Cora gorged herself on peanut butter straight out of the jar.

Then, Kate helped me drop the cookies onto the wax paper while Cora burned her fingers in her desperate attempts to eat them.

Despite some bickering and burned fingers, we {myself included} had a few good lessons in taking turns and being patient. All in all, though, we worked together and made some delicious cookies. 

Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

 {recipe modified from Browneyed Baker}

Yield: 2 to 3 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooling Time: 30 minutes

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

4 Tablespoons cocoa powder

3/4 cup peanut butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1. Add the first four ingredients to a 4-quart saucepan.

2. Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for 1 minute.

3. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth, followed by the oats.

5. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto wax paper-lined baking sheets.

6. Let cool until set.

Do you cook with your kids? Is it enjoyable or not?  

Blessings to you,

Keri

     

For comments or questions, contact me at: growinginhisglory@gmail.com

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Kitchen Tip #4: How to Cook Dried Beans

 With food prices increasingly on the rise, I'm finding myself cutting back more and more on expensive proteins like meat and cheese and either substituting with beans or combining the two to make a meal go further. Dried beans are probably the most cost-effective meal-planning option, and they are incredibly versatile and healthy. 

A great way to cut food costs is to institute a meatless meal one or more nights a week. Every Wednesday is "bean night" at our house. {Doesn't that make you want to come to our house for supper?} My family loves beans, and if you were to stop by on a Wednesday night, you'd find us chowing down on a pot of either pintos or Great Northern (white) beans with cornbread. When we have lots of kale in the garden, I'll cook up some greens to go with our beans, too. And when I crave something less "Southern," I'll mix it up and cook some black or red chili beans to use in burritos, quesadillas, or chili; to go with rice; or as a side dish.

I know the thought of cooking beans might seem daunting to new cooks, but if you're serious about saving money (and you like beans), then I encourage you to give it a shot.  You really can't mess them up.

Here's a super-easy tutorial for cooking dried beans including pintos, black beans, red beans, or Great Northern (white) beans. There are two options for cooking dried beans: (1) the Overnight Soak (when you know beans are on tomorrow's menu and have 8 hours or more to prep) & (2) the Quick Soak (when you totally forget to soak them overnight or decide at lunch time that you want beans for supper).

For both options: 

1. Rinse your beans! Bagged beans are often very dirty and contain rocks, dirt, and other debris, so wash them multiple times until the drained water no longer contains dirt and debris.

 2. Put rinsed beans into a large cooking pot. Remember that the beans will swell, so use a big pot.

For Overnight Soak: 
1. To 1 pound of dried beans, add 6-8 cups of cold water. Let stand overnight or at least 8 hours. {Notice how the beans have swelled, nearly doubling their original size.}

 2. In the morning (or after 8 hours), drain the water from the beans and rinse once again.

  
For Quick Soak:

1. To 1 pound of dried beans, add 6-8 cups of water.  Bring water to a rapid boil (where you can't stir the bubbles down); and boil for 2 minutes.


2. Remove pot from heat. Cover with lid, and let stand for 1 hour.

3.  Drain water and rinse beans again.

Cooking Directions following Overnight Soak or Quick Soak:

1. Add 6 cups of water to beans.  Also, add any spices, onions, or meat (not salt at this point).  If I'm planning to use the leftover beans for chili one night, then I will go ahead and add onions, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and oregano to my beans while they're cooking.  That way they're already seasoned when I go to make my chili.  My mom loves to use thyme with her beans.  Play around and find what you like, or simply stick with salt and pepper.


Also, call me a Southerner (I am!), but I'm a firm believer in adding a little bit of bacon (or bacon grease), ham, salt pork, smoked turkey, or any smoked meat to the pot. Whatever needs to be used up, whether in the freezer or fridge gets added.  If in a pinch, my mom uses bacon bits (real not imitation).  Today, I unloaded a hunk of ham left over from Christmas.  The smoky flavor sends the beans over the top.

2. Simmer gently (not boiling) with the lid on until beans reach your desired consistency.  I like mine very soft and mushy, so I cook them all down on really low heat.  But generally they will be ready to eat in 1-2 hours. Sometimes I'll add carrots or new potatoes while the beans simmer.

3. Season with salt & pepper to taste.  {I don't salt my beans until AFTER they've finished cooking and are tender because I've read that salt makes the beans tougher if added while they're still cooking.  However, my mom always seasons her beans with salt before she cooks them and has never noticed any toughness.}  At this point, you could also add canned tomatoes.  {Be sure not to add any acidic ingredients to beans before they've cooked as they will never get tender.}

Enjoy!

If you've never cooked dried beans, let me encourage you to give it a try.  It really is very easy to do, and you will find that you can save a lot of money at the grocery store by incorporating more beans into your menu.

Do you cook dried beans?  If so, how do you like to prepare them, and what do you do with your leftovers?

Keri

For comments or questions, contact me at: growinginhisglory@gmail.com Find Growing in His Glory on Facebook. I would love to see more of you!  If you are encouraged by what you read here and would like to have posts from Growing in His Glory delivered to your inbox daily, simply click here.  Or you can subscribe in a reader of your choice in the right sidebar.