Cinnamon Ice Cream

A few years ago I gave into an impulse while shopping at Walmart.  Not really anything new, but it turned out to be a great purchase.  I got a bright red, electric ice cream maker when they were running a summer sale on them.  I got a couple of bags of rock salt to go along with it so I'd be ready to make ice cream the moment I got home.  And, boy oh boy, did I make some ice cream!  I experimented with base recipes and then worked on adding in different ingredients.  The below is my very favorite base recipe.  It is thick, rich and custardy.  Just lovely!  It is great plain, but when I channeled my inner Ben & Jerry, I added caramelized bananas, pecans and crushed heath bars.  Oh.  My.  Goodness!  That was fabulous ice cream!

Enjoy.

Cinnamon Ice Cream



1 cup white sugar

1 ½ cups half and half cream

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the sugar and half-and-half. When the mixture begins to simmer, remove from heat, and whisk half of the mixture into the eggs. Whisk quickly so that the eggs do not scramble. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, and stir in the heavy cream. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla and cinnamon. Set aside to cool.

Pour cooled mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Making New Friends

I'm sitting here in my new house in King of Prussia, feeling a little sad that I don't have any local friends.  It's been about 2 months since moving here and I am having a bit of trouble "hooking up" as it were.  I came across this photo that I took of one of the good friends that I had to leave behind in Covington and thought that I might cheer myself up with a blog post about how we became friends. 



When I was a kid it was easy to make friends.  You had lots of great "pools" available for you to meet and pick your friends from.  The neighborhood, school, sports, family, church, summer camps, dance class, etc.  It was pretty easy to have a good group of kids to hang out with.  When I think back to my childhood I believe that one of the reasons it was such a happy one was because I had TONS of friends.  Growing up?  Same places to meet friends.  Add in jobs & parties.
 
Once I became an adult, married Charles and jobs took us to different cities, I had friends that I had to leave.  I didn't realized how hard that would be.  And ultimately how much I needed to have friends in my life.  I love having the friend who can just walk into your house anytime she wants to visit or knows that a half sweet tea/lemonade from Chick Fil A will make my day.  I am just a happier human when I can call up a bud and meet for lunch or a "quick" trip to Michael's.  I am a really happy human when I have regular friends who meet for Girl's Night Outs and weekends away!  Let me tell you, it is harder to make friends as an adult than it was as a kid.  I mean, using a pick up line like, "Do you wanna come over and play Barbies?" just won't work today.  Even if I replaced 'Barbies' with, lets say, 'Bocce Ball' I can't see me walking up to a what looks like a nice lady, laying down my line and then her saying, "Sure."  The closest I got to actually using a "line" to try to find a friend was this nice girl who I worked with at Michael's-Dawn.  I was doing some work in her office soon after we both started working there and I said (being new to the area), "Do you know anywhere to join a raquetball league or anyone who plays raquetball?"  Thankfully, she was looking for a friend too, and replied, "I've never played, but I would love to learn."  Thus our friendship was born and my new Tampa-friend network began. 

Again we had to pull up our stakes and headed out of Tampa.  I miss those guys and as much as I love keeping in touch on FaceBook, it just isn't the same as being in the same town.  So, I was faced with making friends in a VERY small town in Pennsylvania.  This was a town where everyone knew something about just about everyone and I was really worried about fitting in or finding friends to take to this odd "flatlander".  I think I got lucky this time, because Charles lived in the area for about 9 months before I moved and being an outgoing sort of fellow, he made friends.  Friends that he was excited to introduce me to.  One of them was Linda Bovaird.  Linda....

Charles moved to Mansfield from Tampa.  He lived alone with his Chihuahua.  He took his Chihuahua all around town.  He would even take her into the local bars.  The normal men's fashion around Mansfield is camo, Carhart, jeans and plaid.  Charles' normal fashion was khakis, oxford button-ups and his ever-present Bluetooth.  To say that he stood out would be an understatement.  To also say that his wife's gender was in question would also be true.  (Did I mention that he refers to Kiwi's dog-carrying tote as her "Diva Bag")  So when he told all of his new friends that his wife was moving up soon,  a number of people were kind-of waiting to see what I was like...

One day Charles sent me some really beautiful barn star Christmas tree ornaments that he had picked up from Bearly Enough (a local shop that sells gifts, country decor, etc.).  He told me that I was going to love the owners Heather and Linda.  A mother and daughter duo who he would spend a good deal of time chatting with.  I believe it was the last part of the first week that I had officially moved north, that Charles insisted that we go meet Heather and Linda.  He was sure that I would love Heather, a woman who was close to my age, was super sweet, had a nice family and was a teacher.  We walked into their shop, with our dogs in tow, and met the ladies.  It couldn't have been more than 5 minutes into the introduction that Linda starts telling funny stories about folks around town and she pulls me aside to show me her new, very folksy looking, stitched sayings that she was making for the shop.  There were different sayings-cute, inspirational, classic, but she holds up one to me that she is sure I will love.  It reads, "For my next trick I'll need a volunteer and a condom."  I look at her, she looks at me, I am sure for that split second we were both sizing each other up and then we both just started laughing.  Ta-da!  New friend!  We talked that day for almost an hour about everything, about nothing.  It was fun.  She was fun.  As we were leaving, she walked to the car with us and she confided in me, "You know when you were in Florida and as Charles was visiting and describing you to us, well...um...well...I just have to tell you that...YOU'RE NORMAL!!  Thank goodness you are normal!"  I stood for a few moments wondering what she meant and then, "Charles and his dog.  You and your dog.  The stuff he says about some of the stuff you do.  I was a little worried-but you are just fine.  Normal."  I smiled and realized that I liked my new friend.  The mother of the lady who is actually my age.  A little weird, but it worked.

Over our years in our little "hometown" we quickly lost our "flatlander" status and became "honorary ridgerunners" and our circle of friends grew.  But the times that I spent with Linda were priceless.  She has a very bawdy sense of humor.  Visiting her shop was like walking onto the set of the Steel Magnolias beauty parlor-complete with all the neighborhood "news".  Hearing her call out her nickname for me when I walked into the store.  ("Shitty Pants" - I guess from my love of hearing and telling goofy stories about people pooping themselves.  Oddly, working in retail you see A LOT of that!)  Learning from her some truly northern ways of doing things helped me navigate my new lifestyle.  But most of all I value our talks.  Always filled with laughter, the repeat stories that we'd forgotten that we'd shared and our true love of life. 

So, I've been working and wondering on the KoP friend-meeting strategy.  But mostly I've been feeling homesick, just missing the company of my friends.        

You think that the dryer is bad...?!

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of a toddler teacher more than hearing the words, "Where are so-and-so's socks?"  You may wonder why, but when socks go missing, it is our job to locate them.  If we don't before the day is over, we have parents showing up wanting to take their child home WITH the socks they came with. 
(Go figure...)

We spend quite a lot of time talking about darned socks in our classroom:
    -What did you do with your socks?
    -Did she have on pink socks today?
    -Were they ALL pink or just pink on the toes?
    -Where is  your other sock?
    -Please don't play with your socks.
    -Where did your socks go?
    -Who's one sock is that in the middle of the floor?
    -Are these your socks?
    -How did we end up with extra socks at the end of the day? 
    -Please put your socks in your cubby.
It seems never ending.

We've tried making the kids keep their shoes and socks on at all times. 
Yeah.  That worked really well...

We've tried repeating over and over to the kids for them to remember to put their shoes and socks in cubbies when they come off of feet. 
That generally works for the older kids only.  When they're in a good mood...

We've tried only allowing kids to take off shoes and socks upon arrival,  time out if we catch anyone with shoes and socks off, praise and/or treats for kids who find and return lost socks in the room...but still there seems to be lost socks every day!! 

It is so embarrassing at the end of the day when you have to tell a parent that we cannot find so-and-so's sock(s).  Honestly, we feel like terrible teachers for not being able to keep track of something as common as socks.  To any parent out there who has had to hear from their child's teacher that they cannot find their socks, trust me-we've looked!  High and low.  Possibly all day long.  More than likely all the teachers have looked.  We've also probably offered some kind of reward treat to any child who locates the missing sock(s).   We may try to offer you a pair from our  "emergency sock" stash to try to appease you that we simply cannot locate that special pair of socks that said "Saturday" on them.   And know for certain that we have asked both ourselves and each other numerous times, "Honestly. Why can't so-and-so just keep their socks on their feet?!!"


The Sock Hunts in our Toddler Room are legendary.  Sometimes they last for days.  Most socks are found, but sadly, we have lost some good socks through the years.  When the calls goes out that there is a sock missing, we all know to start at the cubbies.  Usually a child will have good intentions of putting their socks in their own cubby, but they simply miss.  So the cubbies on either side of so-and-so's cubby is checked.  Then the cubby search expands.  Once we've looked through each cubby, including all bags, totes, shoes and bedding we move into the room.  We check out the dress up area next-it is really easy to scoop up a sock with a fairy costume or a construction worker vest.  Just last week I found a pair of socks put on the feet of one of the doll babies.  If no sock shows up, we'll enlist the help of other teachers or  the kids themselves.  The climbing rainbow is another spot that socks get stuck in.  We will run our hands down in the creases of the steps.  If we only pull out puzzle pieces and the missing wheel from the 'Mater truck, then the search continues.  If a quick glance through all the shelves doesn't produce the missing sock, then we have to empty out all the toys.  No luck?  We then have to open up all the doors of cars, doors in the play kitchen, lift lids, open drawers and cabinets in all the play stuff.  We have been surprised many times at how kids and will stuff socks into the smallest holes. 

I am sharing this story because today, after sending a little so-and-so home without her socks for the second day in a row and after having our second attempt to find her last pink sock, on a massive Sock Hunt, Miss Gail opened up the doors of the doll house sink and 'viola!  There, all tucked away was that blasted sock!

In a toddler room that is full of crazy fun, we teachers will take our victories, however small, wherever we can!!

Black Bean Salsa

I'm sorry that I have been so behind on posting some of the recipes from the Hello Muddah Crop that I've been promising y'all. This is one that I've gotten a bunch of requests for, so here is the first recipe.

Black Bean Salsa (from my friends Karen & Tom R.)

Ingredients
1 can black beans drained
1 can black eyed peas drained
1 can white corn drained
Small jar of pimentos (I didn't use)
1 green pepper chopped or any color
1 red onion chopped (I used half of a large red onion)

In a pan, combine 1 cup olive oil or any other oil, I cup sugar and 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar.
Heat until the sugar melts.
Pour over the other ingredients and soak overnight. Drain before serving with chips.

Jen's notes: You can EASILY half the oil, sugar and vinegar. This will make less marinade, so you'll have to stir it more so that the flavor soaks in really well.

Enjoy!!

Art A La Carte Crafting Event

Announcing my first "monthly" crops up here in Pennsylvania!

All of the information is below in a flier. Please feel free to read, print, share, forward to anyone and everyone you might think is interested!

The event will be held at the Mainesburg Community Center and you MUST pre-register and pre-pay to attend.

I'll be serving a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack and dinner. Drinks will be provided all day long. I'll be doing a fun, unique make-n-take featuring some cool products and techniques. You will have the opportunity to order the products featured in the make-n-take. I'll also set up a swap table. To participate in the swap table, you bring in some of your own gently used products (stickers, papers, magazines, etc.) and place on the table. Then if you need something during the crop, you can go to the swap table and "shop" from it for something you need/want equal to what you put down. If there is anything left at the end of the crop on the swap table (unclaimed items) I'll donate them to the local Hospice.

Below the flier is the REGISTRATION FORM. You need to click on the image and print it out. Just fill it out and send it to me with your check. Or, if you live close by, drop it by either home or at my work!

Cannot wait for all the FUN!!

Hello Muddah 2012 Menu

Hi all!

I've listened to your requests for menu suggestions and here is the list of the yummy things we'll be eating in just a few short weeks!

Thursday
Lunch: Chicken Salad Sandwich, Veggie Chips, Orange Slices, Cookie
Mocktail Hour: Planter's Punch “Mocktail’, Spinach & Cheese Spirals and Saucy Meatballs (regular and veggie) (You'll need to bring dark rum if you want to spike your own punch!)
Dinner: Veggie Chili, Cornbread & Chocolate Cola Cake with Fluffy Frosting

Friday
Breakfast: Canoli French Toast with syrup & Sausage (regular & veggie)
Lunch: Shredded Pork Tacos with toppings, Black Bean Salsa, Chips & Tres Leches Macaroons
Snack: Strawberry Chocolate Bruchetta
Dinner: Chicken Parmesan over Linguini, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread & Chocolate Mousse with Whipped Cream

Saturday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs & Cheese, Grits, Hash Browns & Biscuits with Jen’s homemade jams & jellies
Lunch: Grilled Hot Dogs with Chili, Sauerkraut & toppings, Loaded Baked Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob & Apple Cheddar Turnovers
Snack: Pita Wedges with Homemade French Onion Dip
Dinner: Bourbon BBQ Chicken, Corn Spoon Bread, Assorted Roasted Veggies, Dinner Roll & Malted Milk Ball Blondie Brownies
Late Night Snack: Popcorn and Rootbeer Floats

Sunday
Breakfast: Yogurt, Granola & Fruit Parfaits
Lunch: Golden Gate Grilled Turkey & Cheese Sandwich, Sherried Tomato Soup, Chips & Southern Pecan Crisps

Again, I post this menu to let you know what we'll be serving so that if something isn't to your liking you'll know in advance. If you need a little 'fridge space or to heat someting up, just let us know at check-in. The town is located about 20 minutes away so fast food isn't all that fast. As a lacto-ovo vegetarian, I always have a veggie version of the same meal available, please let me know ASAP if you are also a vegetarian and I can make sure to have ample.

Thanks and see you all soon!

Contest Winners!

The question was: Which is my favorite Christmas song/artist from my PlayList and there were 3 entries. Just 3! And sadly not one of y'all guessed correctly. They were great guesses, but my favorite is: Elf's Lament by the Barenaked Ladies. I LOVE that song! I play it over and over! Charles on the other hand is very sick of that song!

BUT, since I LOVE to give out prizes and there were only 3 of y'all who guessed....EVERYBODY GETS A PRIZE. Ella gets a prize (she posted on FB), Janie gets a prize and Laura gets a prize! Please just email me in private with your address and I'll get something fun out to you soon. I do believe y'all will be getting a prize winning jar of jam or jelly in your prize box!

Thanks for playing!