Homemade Mint Chocolate Ice Cream

I am not a very creative person, so I do need to point out that I came up with this recipe by myself (with an idea from my sister-in-law)! So drum roll please.....

I am introducing Annie's Mint Chocolate Ice Cream:
yes, it's not chocolate chip! So there is no mistake in leaving that out! You will see....

Ingredients:
1 cup of regular cow milk
2 cups of heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar 
1 pinch of salt
1 table spoon vanilla extract
1/2 table spoon peppermint extract (or if you like it strong a full spoon)
a few drops of green food coloring
1 cup of Andes Baking chips (Creme de Menthe)

Instructions: 
- measure 1 cup of the Andes Chips and put them in a bag into the freezer (preferably overnight)
- set the stove to a low heat
- in a saucepan, combine the milks, sugar, salt and extracts and bring just to a boil
- remove from the stove right away and let it cool down a bit
- transfer it to a container that can go into the refrigerator
- let it cool there for about 2 to 3 hours, until really cool (again, overnight is best)
- get your ice cream maker out and use as directed by the manufacturer
- I add the mixture to the bowl and let it churn for about 15 minutes
- add the mint chips right before you are ready to turn of the ice cream maker off
- when ready, transfer the ice cream into a container to place it in the freezer (for about 2 hours)
- it makes about a quart of ice cream that becomes more like a quart and a half with the chips!

Now, why the green food coloring? This is from my kids. The first time I made this ice cream, I used only the peppermint extract and chocolate chips. It was okay for me, but my kids refused to eat it because they told me that the store-bought mint choc chip ice cream is green! And because I want to please my children, I added the color for their eyes only! It doesn't change the taste or anything. so you can leave it out!

Peanut happens to love MY ice cream just as much as the store-bought kind - which makes this Mami very happy! (Coqui is still reluctant - he has no idea what he is missing!) And Munchkin eyeballs my bowl as if she knew what it is.... I would assume she'll devour it just as Mami and sister do!

Native American Indian Week

Before our school year started, I had all these plans. But then a pregnancy happened and out went my plans. I made up a curriculum week by week. If there was a busy week, well, we got a little behind with school. And caught back up during a time when things were less exciting.

So after our Knights Week, I thought an Indian Week would be nice. After all, Coqui is a boy and he needs to know about those Indians. Or maybe, it is because we Europeans are so fascinated by them, and I had way too much fun preparing for this week!!! I don't know, but I think we all liked it.

So we made our first lapbook. If you don't know what that is, it's a book created by the child with everything collected and taught about that specific theme, in our case the Indians, or as they call it here, Native Americans. Here is a link to a 'How Do I Make A Lapbbok' by Charlotte Mason. So we had bought feathers to use for our headband and the lapbook. I printed lots of stuff, pictures and little games off the internet. For example, Coqui had to write a story with only signs.  We learned about the different tribes - I had gotten a few books from the library about tribes like the Comanches, the Sioux, and the Cheyenne. I could tell him that I have personally met people from the Navajo Indians - which was such an event for me (as European)!

Here are the kids cutting and gluing away with their headbands. 

 

They also each made their own tipi. (I had printed this template off the internet as well.) He created his own totem pole, and decorated it. I did not have him make an Indian vest - but alot of sites suggested that. I figured it would just land in the recycling eventually, and Coqui didn't really want to make it. 

But instead, we also made homemade clay in order to make our own pottery. It was super easy, only three ingredients needed: water, baking soda and corn starch. Mix and cook, let it cool down to room temperature, and mold away.... Oh yes, there was food coloring involved as well, that's why ours has a greenish tint to it. That's what he wanted (and what we had in the house).

Coqui really liked this one. We made two baskets, a plate (in form of a smiley face), a fork and a spoon. He had so much fun.
There was barely a mess, and this stuff washed off very easily from his hands. So I would do this again any time.
It is still drying in the kitchen - it's been four full days and it is still not completely dry. The plate has broken, too, but everything else looks great.


This has been a tough week, but so much fun. And by tough, I mean Coqui's willingness to cooperate, and also the long hours we spend on this book. The book has eight pages, so it was alot of work for both of us to finish. But I am so looking forward to another themed week soon.....

The second skirt one is done

Last week, I made a skirt for Peanut and I wrote a post about it here. Last night, I finally finished the second one that has the same fabric patterns, but opposite to the first one.

I have to say, and the Hubby agrees, that the second one turned out much nicer. See for yourself:

 It took me much longer than the anticipated 15 minutes from "To Sew With Love" - more like two hours. But I had so much fun, learned a lot and it looks great - I think.

 Peanut was in modeling mood this morning.... even though the skirt came off as soon as I put the camera down. At least she is smiling....

 Here are the two skirts next to each other...

And Peanut wanted to show off the first one as well....

Here is the original post from To Sew With Love again, for anyone who wants to try it out. She wrote an awesome tutorial, easy to follow, and easy to DIY (do-it-yourself).

A Skirt for the Princess

I enjoyed a day off from my Mami-duties.... and sewed.

 I found this pattern while browsing through sewing blogs, This one is from this blogger - she is making a lot of awesome stuff, so I will be back there and copy some more....

 I even tried t o add two pockets, so it won't look to plain. I kind of like it....

Then I made my first button wholes, even though they are not for buttons, but I made them for the elastic. This way, it enables me to pull some out when she is still skinnier, and can release some (or even add some elastic) for when Peanut is bigger.

Peanut even modeled for me today...

I will make another skirt, with the same fabric, just opposite. Floral skirt with the green seam on the bottom. And I will try a bow this time as accessory.... 

UPDATE: I added a button to the pockets:

The site (To Sew With Love) where I got his cute and easy pattern from, hosts a blog hop. So I copied the list with the right tool, you should see a list below.I have not checked out each and every one, but most, and there are some real talented people out there! I love all their creativity. Awesome!

Handmade Gift and an Art lesson

A little person will turn 4 this weekend, and she is very special to our family. This might be the last birthday to celebrate with her together because they are moving away, so I knew this gift had to be extra special. Besides a special toy and a store-bought dress, she is also getting my homemade skirt.


The idea came to me when I was shopping at Walmart and saw these - what they call Fat Squares.  I loved the concept of mixing different colors in one skirt or dress - back then I was not sure yet what I was going to sew.


I kind of came up with my own pattern - working along and seeing how it turned out - not loosing the plan of how I expected it to look. These colors are just perfect for the recipient - green and brown for nature, like Mother Earth. It fits her character and interests perfectly.

In the picture above you only see three different fabric patterns - I added one more later - an afternoon trip to Joann's.

I cut each fat square into four pieces of the same size - but then I only used two if each and then an extra one to make the right size for an four year old. The top part has an elastic band, so it will be more adjustable in case she gets a growth spurt. The ruffles on the bottom are made of the pattern that I added later.

Here is the final product:

I think it turned out beautiful. She likes tight skirts of dresses, so this one turned out just right for her. Lucky me, the elastic was not a problem at all, even though it took me a while to investigate how to make it. And I am so glad that the bottom part turned out as nice as it did. It sure took alot of time to figure it out - because you know how much I like to follow directions... NOT! So I sat there, researched the internet and tried and it worked the first time. I am very happy with it.

And I also have a close-up from all the colors - which I love by the way. I also learned something new about colors. I mean I already know that colors have to go together, compliment each other. There is also a meaning behind every color - did you know that?
Brown is warm neutral color that supposedly can stimulate the appetite and represents wholesomeness and steadfastness - a fact that I find very interesting. It is used to bring out other colors and their richness.

Now brown paired with green is very special on many levels. Dark brown can actually replace what black is so famous for: sophistication. Together with green, it can appear as very earthy, like recycling. But green means life - it's the spring color that tells all of our brains that the long winter is over and new life will come in the near future. Green stands for growth, health, renewal and revival. But it also stands for jealousy and inexperience - something that I read online but that is not what green means to me. What I learned about colors, especially colored rooms, is that green is a calming color - contrary to red that is suppose to be aggressive. Then I rather agree with the saying that green has both a warming and a cooling effect, so it is representing balance and stability - a perfect partner for brown that is steadfast.

Whatever it is, it looks great together - if I may say so myself - so lovely.

Homemade Bread

Does it look yummy?

My friend @ C.Beth has introduced me to bread making here, in a very easy way. Four ingredients is all you need for the first loaf of homemade bread! Flour, water, salt and yeast. Mix it and let it rise, then bake it. Sounds easy, right?

If you are into baking, here is the book that she has and I then ordered for myself: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes by authors Hertzberg and François. Here is the link to their website.

I've been making this easy bread for the last months, and to be honest, it gets boring after a while, at least for me. The hubby and the kids still love it, so I have to make it. But for me, I am more of a whole wheat kind of girl, so I wanted to try new breads and experiment with them.

So I read through some recipes, went shopping and started to bake. The above picture is of a bread from the section 'Peasant Breads', it's called Deli-Style Rye, and it is delicious. The seeds are caraway - something every German just loves!!! (I am serious.) It is also just as easy as the other recipes that I have tried out. It's so simple that it makes me wonder why I haven't started to make my own bread much sooner.

Bon Appetit.