Oh, The Places You’ll Go- Graduation Book

Posted May 14, 2018

I was a classroom teacher for many years. Actually, I was one of the lucky one that taught Kindergarten when children were able to play in centers, learn to get along, and get a solid academic start to school. I know education has changed so much. But that’s not even what I’m going to talk about today……

As a teacher, I was blessed with so many amazing parents. Before I was ever a momma, I was learning how to be a great momma by watching moms in action. I would see an idea and file it away in my “when I’m a momma one day” file.

My fifth year of teaching, in May, I had a mom send me a message about signing a book for her child. This book was a secret to the child so we had to be clever with the pass off of the book. I was honored and excited to be a part of this tradition. Basically, this mom had bought a copy of Oh, The Places You’ll Go and has asked all teachers to write a little message in the book. She started this book back in preschool. As the kindergarten teacher, I was able to read what preschool teachers said and then I added to the love for this little girl.

I wrote about her sweet personality and how much I enjoyed teaching her. The mom’s goal was to have all teachers that were a part of this little girl’s life sign the book. Then at her high school graduation, she would be presented with this book and all the wonderful memories of her education. How cool is that!?!

Well, I tucked that idea away and now I have it going for both boys. The preschool and elementary years were very easy to accomplish with Will. BUT I am learning to navigate the book signing in middle school. I sent all his teachers an email and they were happy to be part. They even gave me the idea of giving the book to the grade level counselor and she would help make sure it got to all the teachers. (HOW NICE IS THAT!)

Each year I pull out the books and I love to read the letters from all their teachers. It allows me to walk down memory lane and remember each teacher that has impacted their lives and sweet memories of their personalities.

So, help me keep this a secret for a few years but I wanted to share!

Looking Forward,
Amanda

Shaving Cream Decorated Easter Eggs

Posted March 30, 2018

Filed under Memories in the Kitchen

Each year it is fun to experiment with different ways to decorate your Easter Eggs. There are so many fun options out there. This year we used shaving cream. Not shaving gel or shaving butter, good ole’ shaving cream.

Whitaker and I had so much fun picking out colors for our designs. He also loved rolling the eggs around in the shaving cream.

It is so basic and easy!

You need:
Hard Boiled Eggs
Shaving Cream (we used )
Assorted Food Gel or Food Coloring
Rubber Gloves (my PSA- I got a little carried away with the color and had stained hands for 3 days!)

Spray a 1″ layer of shaving cream in the bottom of the glass or metal casserole pan. If you want no clean up, use a disposable aluminum pan. Spread the shaving cream to make a smooth top.

Then using your selected colors, beginning adding small, random dots of food gel to the shaving cream. We used 2-3 on each design. If you use too many you will end up with a nasty brown or green color. (that does not say “Happy Easter!”)

Then using a wooden skewer or popsicle stick, drag the skewer through the shaving cream making lines. You can make swirls, loops, zigzag, whatever!

Once you have the design the way you like, place an egg in the shaving cream on one end.

Gently roll the egg in a straight line from one side to the other. My little guy liked using a spoon to roll his egg. Then carefully pick up the egg and place it on some paper towels. Leave the egg there until the shaving cream starts to dry up. Usually 10 minutes. Then you can rinse off the extra shaving cream under water or clean off with a wet paper towel.

Each Easter Egg will have its own personality based on colors and swirl designs.

Happy Easter!
Amanda

The Best Hard Boiled Eggs

Posted March 28, 2018

Filed under Let's Get Cooking

How do you cook hard boiled eggs? It is actually a question that has a lot of debate. Most cooks have their way they like to cook hard boiled eggs. But you must be careful to not overcook. I have tried it several ways and this is my favorite way to do it. Another tip in cooking hard boiled eggs: don’t use fresh eggs. It is okay if they are a few weeks old. That actually helps the shell peel easier.

So whether you are about whip up some deviled eggs (my sister’s recipe), egg salad, or just decorate Easter eggs, this is the easiest approach I have found.

Enjoy!
Amanda

Hard Boiled Eggs

You need:
Dozen large eggs
1 T Kosher salt
2 T white vinegar
Tap water

Start by gently placing your raw eggs in a large saucepan. Cover with at least 2 inches of water. (If you don’t have enough water, your eggs will not cook throughly) Add salt and vinegar.

Place the pan over high heat until it reaches a boil. Let boil for 3 minutes. Then turn off heat, cover and let it sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the eggs from the pan and place them in an ice-water bath and let them cool for five minutes.

Soak Your Eggs In An Ice Bath

Now you can either carefully crack the egg shells and gently remove the shells. OR you are ready to decorate your Easter Eggs. These eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for four days.

The Garden, The Curtain, and The Cross

Posted March 6, 2018

Filed under Around the House, on mission in the kitchen

Here in Atlanta, trees are beginning to bud, daffodils are blooming, and every one is beginning to complain about their allergies. Yes, Spring is on its way. I love watching all of God’s creativity show this time of year. The incredible colors and breathtaking views of a new season get me excited.

With Spring on the way, We know EASTER is almost here. We will put bunnies, eggs, and baskets in our decorations. We will make plans for a perfect Easter dinner with family and friends. We determine the best Easter Egg Hunt to take our children to. We coordinate our family’s wardrobe to make sure we look our best on Easter Sunday. And we shop for the perfect items for our children’s Easter baskets. We will talk about the Easter story and why we have a Good Friday and Easter Sunday. But for many years, I felt that my children needed to know the Easter story but maybe I would leave out parts because they were not ready. I felt maybe saying “Jesus died on Good Friday” was a little too much for my preschooler. I would do the “Good Christian Mom Thing” and make sure there was a Bible story in their baskets along with chocolates and prizes. We went to Easter Sunday Service and at Easter Dinner our prayers thanked God for sending Jesus to save us. I felt good about what I was doing and then….

It was so clear the day I realized I had been watering down Jesus to my children. I had not been talking about how we were sinners and God sent his only Son to Earth to ultimately die for us. My words never said because of Jesus we have hope. Easter was about Jesus to us but not letting them know how it is only about Jesus was my conviction. I would teach them that Jesus taught us how to live, love, and obey God. I guess I didn’t want to scare my preschooler. I didn’t want them to worry about death and how Jesus was beaten and hung on a cross for them. But why? It is the story they need to know more than any other story out there.

Don’t get me wrong. I love to decorate with all the beautiful eggs, sweet bunnies, and monogrammed baskets. I will create yummy Easter treats and attend a fun Easter Egg hunt. However, I am clear the whole purpose of Easter is to celebrate Jesus. It all points to Jesus and what He did for us.

Recently I found the best book for children. The Garden, The Curtain and The Cross is beautifully illustrated, Biblically accurate, and captures your child’s attention. The book begins with God’s creation of The Garden of Eden. Quickly we learn about how our sins keep us from living in a perfect garden with God. We had a true separation from God. But God had a wonderful plan. He sent His son, Jesus, to come live on Earth and die for us. After Jesus had died on the cross, He was placed a in tomb guarded by soldiers. But spoiler alert: On the third day, the tomb was empty! Jesus arose! He conquered the grave.

As a mom, I want to make sure that I am representing the truth of Jesus to my children. We read from the Bible on many nights. When we read other Bible stories that are not out of our Bible, I want to make sure they are telling the true, Biblical story.

The Good Book Company has published this wonderful book and so many more. The talented Carl Laferton and Catalina Echeverri made this book come to life. I encourage you to check out their other books. I hope to feature more soon.

And now……

I am so excited to announce my FIRST giveaway! The great people over at Good Book Company have given me FIVE copies to giveaway to those who follow Sing and Dance in the Kitchen blog, Instagram & Facebook.

Here’s how to enter:

Follow this blog. Follow Sing and Dance in the Kitchen on Instagram and Facebook.
Comment on this blog and tell me what you love about Sing and Dance in the Kitchen and what you would like to see more posts about.
Tag at least 3 friends in the comments of Instagram and Facebook. Make sure they begin to follow and you will get extra entries.
Winners will be selected at random and will be announced on Friday, 3/9. Good Luck!

Chocolate Corn Flakes Chocolate Chip Cookies (It’s a Yummy Mouthful)

Posted March 2, 2018

Filed under Sweet Tooth, Sweet Tooth- Desserts

It should be pretty clear by now that my boys LOVE cookies. I am raising actual Cookie Monsters! We have a glass cookie jar that sits on the counter. Usually that cookie jar displays the recent cookie that have been made in our kitchen. I love hearing the sound of the jar being opened up. A slight clang of glass and you know someone is in the cookie jar. I love hearing my oldest and his friends getting into the cookie jar. There is something magical about boys gathering around for a snack after shooting hoops or a long day at school.

As the cookies start getting low, I am quickly reminded that we will need more soon. We have several recipes that are always classics in this home. The Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie and M&M Cookies are our usual standbys because the ingredients are simple and always on hand.

My soon-to-be four year old was eager to make cookies last week. I told him we were going to mix it up and add one of his favorite cereal- Kellogg’s Chocolate Frosted Flakes. He was beyond thrilled to help with the process. The cookies were super easy to make and turned out perfect. You can always use plain corn flakes for your cookies.

Looking Forward,
Amanda

Chocolate Corn Flakes Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 eggs

1 1/2 t vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 cup regular oats, uncooked

1 cup chocolate corn flakes cereal (picture below)

1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips and additional 1/2 cup for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat shortening and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars. Beat until all combined. Add eggs one at a time. Then add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and soda. Gradually add to butter mixture. Mix well. Stir in oats, chocolate corn flakes, and chocolate chips.

Using a cookie dough scoop, drop dough 2 inches apart on your baking sheet.

I always add extra chocolate chips to the top of my cookies before baking. It adds more chocolate and makes your cookies look good too!

Add additional chocolate chips to top off cookies. Gently press in the chocolate chips. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. You want the cookies to be lightly browned. Remove cookies and place on a wire rack for cooling.

And yes, this is Whitaker’s current favorite cereal:

Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa

Posted February 8, 2018

Filed under Main Dish

I love meals that I can prep and forget about for the day. This recipe came out of Southern Living magazine. I have tweaked it to fit our style. The key is browning the pork prior to placing it in the slow cooker for the day. It seals in the flavors and is delicious. Your home will smell delicious and you will be so happy at dinner time. The meat is so yummy and makes great leftovers.

1 (4 to 5 lb) boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
1 T chile powder
1 T black pepper
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t granulated sugar
1 T plus 1/2 t kosher salt, divided
2 T Canola oil
1/4 cup apple cider
4 oregano springs
1 cup chopped tomato
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped (about 2 T)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 T fresh lime juice
12 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 T smoked paprika
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cut pork shoulder into 2 pieces. Combine chile powder, black pepper, cumin, cloves, sugar and 1 T of salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture over all sides of pork pieces.

Heat oil in a large skillet over high. Add pork pieces, and cook until deep golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Place pork in a slow cooker; add vinegar and oregano.

Cover and cook on LOW until pork falls apart easily with shredded with a fork, 8 to 10 hours.

Stir together tomato, red onion, lime juice, jalapeno, and remaining 1/2 t salt in a bowl. Chill at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Shred pork in slow cooker with 2 forks; stir in paprika and cayenne.

Toast individual tortillas in a skillet.

Serve pork on tortillas topped with salsa, cilantro, and sour cream. We like to add black beans to our tacos. And of course we like to have our chips and salsa.

Looking Forward,
Amanda

My Glass Jar Decorating Trick

Posted February 6, 2018

Filed under Around the House

I have several tricks I use when decorating. One of my favorite tricks is filling up the middle of a jar with cans. Basically these are aluminum cans that I have emptied and cleaned out. I use them again and again. They are absolutely perfect for taking up space in my jars.

This month my jar is filled with conversation hearts. I stack the cans in first and then begin filling my jar with the little conversation hearts. So magically I create the illusion that the jar is full. (So tricky!)

What tricks do you have when decorating? I would love to hear your ideas.

Looking Forward,
Amanda

Seeking Goodness- 2018 Goals

Posted January 3, 2018

Filed under Memories in the Kitchen

I love beginning the new year with goals. I know there is nothing magical about January 1. In my mind it is a great time to start my goals. When I was in education, my goals and year began in August. You can start goals on March 23rd and it is just as good as any other day.

I am visual and reflective. So, I write out my goals. My hubby and oldest wrote out their goals too. We shared them as a family. This gives us accountability and knowing someone is looking out for us.

Each year I decide on a word that helps focus me. Last year my word was INTENTIONAL. I wanted to be intentional with my mind, heart, words, and time. As I reflect for this year, I continually landed on two words, SEEKING GOODNESS. Looking for the kindness, generosity, quality, and best parts of everything. By Seeking Goodness in my spiritual life, in my health, family, and self, it will naturally point to Jesus who is true goodness.

I know that working towards my goals is a process. I’m not looking for perfection, it will take time to accomplish several of these goals. I can rest in the fact that I am making progress towards my goals. I am excited and a little nervous but know that I will be Seeking Goodness during the process.

What are your goals? Do we share any of the same?
Here to progress!

Looking Forward,
Amanda

Cookbooks- My Favorites

Posted December 21, 2017

Filed under Around the House

I have shared before that I LOVE COOKBOOKS. My collection is vast and eclectic. Some of my cookbooks have tags and writing all through them as I have taken notes or made changes through the years. I have special cookbooks that have been signed by the chefs. I take reading a cookbook very seriously. I read my cookbooks from cover to cover before I will even cook one recipe out of it. Cookbooks share stories from the chef. You can understand the inspiration and influences as you read along. You learn new techniques and terminology. I love curling up with a new cookbook. Page by page the stories and recipes unfold.

I know each Christmas (and other times of the year) that my husband, Chris, will search for the perfect cookbook for me. He knows that he must write a little note on the inside cover complete with the date. Over the years, I have grown to cherish many of my cookbooks but I wanted to share a few today in case you are looking for a last minute gift idea.

Date Night In– Chris gave me this cookbook last year. I love it. The book is organized by seasons and has a complete menu for your date night in. We have looked forward to creating this meals together. Each dinner has a dessert and cocktail to create. Chris loves making cocktails so it is a win-win cookbook for us.

The Southern’s Cookbook Recipes, Wisdom, and Stories– This is one of those cookbooks that is so fun to read. The editors of Garden & Gun pulled together great stories and recipes all in one place. You will love the “talk of the south.”

Back In The Day Bakery Made With Love– So true confession- I am obsessed with Cheryl and Griffith Day! Their bakery in Savannah, Georgia gives me all the feels and is complete happiness. When you visit the bakery, you will see Cheryl and Griffith in the back busy creating something yummy. This cookbook is their second book. I have own both (obsessed) and both are signed (true obsession).

Yes, I’m with Cheryl and Griffith Day at Back in the Day Bakery

The next time you are in Savannah, Georgia, you must stop by Back in the Bakery! It does not disappoint and it is hard to make a decision. So do what I do, get one of each and share!

Bread and Wine– This is my favorite book to give as a gift. One of my best friends gave me a copy and I fell in love. Shauna Niequist tells beautiful stories of friendships that develop over food. She encourages you to invite others over. Break bread together and form relationship. Shauna shares great recipes and wonderful insight on life. She has many great books. Present over Perfect is her latest and it reminds us to present in every moment we have and don’t worry about the perfection. I hope to meet Shauna one day. She is a true inspiration and mentor through her words.

The Silver Spoon For Children is my favorite children’s cookbook right now. The illustration are made where children can follow along and begin cooking like an Italian. Make pasta, meatballs, chicken Stuffed with marscapone, foccaccia, and the list goes on. I am a believer in having my children in the kitchen.

Last recommendation is a cookbook that has been well loved that I did not want to take a picture of the front. It has lots of battle wounds (in a good way) from the kitchen. I have used my Gourmet Cookbook for the past ten years. It is my kitchen buddy and has helped me cook some delicious food.

Let me know your favorite cookbooks. I’m always looking for new ones.

Looking Forward,

Amanda

Happy 2017! Let’s Do This!

Posted January 1, 2017

Filed under Around the House

Well, Happy 2017! As the year begins, we are all filled with hope and promise to make this year better than the last. Some make resolutions. Some don’t make resolutions because they know by January 16th, they might have fallen off the wagon. I’m a goal setter. I set goals each year. Goals that I feel will be good for myself and those around me. Last year, I added in a word that I would focus on while striving towards my goals. I liked having a word that summed up my year so I did that again.

As I look back on my goals from last year, I can easily see that not all goals were achieved. I feel I made good effort but not all happened. And that is okay! I’m human and it makes me try to be realistic with my goals.

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Sure there are many more goals or things I would like to achieve in the new year. Let’s start with this. Being Intentional! Intentional with my walk with God, my relationship with Chris, being a mom to the boys, my time, my friendships, and my commitments.

What are your goals or ideas for the new year? Do you have a word that sums up your goals? My hope is to use this blog to celebrate life and share why I sing and dance in my kitchen.

INTENTIONALLY Looking Forward,

Amanda

Sing and Dance in the Kitchen

Looking Forward to Cooking and Life!

Tag Archives: blogging

Oh, The Places You’ll Go- Graduation Book

Shaving Cream Decorated Easter Eggs

The Best Hard Boiled Eggs

The Garden, The Curtain, and The Cross

Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa

My Glass Jar Decorating Trick

Seeking Goodness- 2018 Goals

Happy 2017! Let’s Do This!