Irish - Green Mint Chocolate Cake

Irish - Green Mint Chocolate Cake

Green Frog Gifts loves anything green -- and this green mint chocolate cake is a great dessert to serve for St. Patrick's Day.  Simple as pie - well simple as cake.

 

Prepare cake mix as directed.  Substitute 1/4 cup of Creme de Menthe for 1/4 cup of the required water.   Add the oil and eggs as directed.

Optional: If you like a chocolately chunk component (and I do).  Take 3 Hershey's chocolate bars and chop them up.  Put into the batter and stir.

Bake and cool the cake.

Now for the topping - once the cake has cooled you will want to spread on the hot fudge layer.  Since the fudge is so thick I usually warm it in the microwave before spreading on the cake.
It'll still be warm on the cake so I stick the entire cake with the fudge layer into the freezer while I flavor the whipped topping.









I add a tablespoon or so of Creme deMenthe to the whipped topping and stir.  Add green food coloring if you want a deeper shade of green.

Cut the Andes mints into random chunks.

Spread the green Creme deMenthe flavored whipped topping on the cake over the fudge layer.  Randomly drop the Andes mints onto the top of the cake.

Serve with ice cream.

Enjoy every crumb.

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Cite this blog post:
McElmeel, Sharron. (2021, March 6). Irish - Green Mint Chocolate Cake. Green Frog Gifts (blog). https://bit.ly/GFG-cake

 Visit Greenfroggifts on Etsy 

Cool Chicks - Blanket, Books, and a Stuffie (and a few cookies)

 Cool Chicks

Bynum, Janie.  Chick Chat. Simon & Schuster, 2021.

McGehee, Claudia. Where Do Birds Live? University of Iowa Press, 2010.

Stemple, Heidi E.Y. Counting Birds: The Idea That Helped Save Our Feathered Friends.  Illustrated by Robin Clover. Seagrass Press, 2018.

The 100% cotton flannel fabric for the blanket is from Robert Kaufman, designed by Ann Kelle. White background with green, blue, pink, and yellow birds.  Kaufman Urban Zoologies Flannel Birds Wild Fabric.

Backing is rose colored minky rosette pattern.

The stuffie is an adaptation of a pattern from AGASHE on Etsy.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/AGASHE

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Then turn your attention to the kitchen and create some cool chick cookies.

Cool Chick Cookies
Make a few dozen and prepare friendship plates for all the cool chicks in your life.  Festive plate, 6 cookies, and a note telling your friend what a cool chick they are.
Plan ahead you may need more than the 50 eyeballs as each cookie needs 2; if you have left overs they will also come into play when you want to make a Gobbler Chocolate Cookie or two (See Thanksgiving post).

Read abouts stuffies:

McElmeel, Sharron. (2021, February 26). Stuffies - Always There. Green Frog Gifts (Blog). http://bit.ly/stuffies102

Cite this blog post:
McElmeel, Sharron. (2021, March 3). Cool Chicks - Blanket, Books, and a Stuffie (and a few cookies) (Blog). http://bit.ly/coolchicks-birdbooks

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Green Frog Gifts -- unique gifts -- sewing and cooking

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Stuffies: Always There

   There is nothing more comforting than a cuddly stuffie, or a soft cuddly blanket.  These comfort objects are there when one is young and although the need for comfort often diminishes as children grew up and get involved in baseball, painting, or just growing up and making new friends, the stuffie will always be close by.  One never knows when the need for a cuddle will arise -- and knowing that the stuffie will always be there is a comfort in itself.

A great new book celebrates the exalted position of the stuffie.  Jennifer Black Reinhardt's 2021 book, features a young boy who has a loving connection to his green dinosaur stuffie but as with most stuffies or comfort blankets the need outgrows the need for a constant presence.  What does not go away is the comfort in knowing that the stuffie or blanket is close by in case a cuddle IS needed.

Reinhardt, Jennifer Black. (2021). Always by My Side: A Selfie Story. Random House. ISBN-13/978-0593173824.

Click on this link: https://www.sidekickcoffeebooks.com

In the classroom:

1. Invite children to draw a picture of their stuffie - and include themselves if they wish (the cover of Always By My Side will be a great mentor illustration).
2. Encourage discussion about the stuffie and what the stuffie means to them.
3. Writing - suggestions
• Write a paragraph telling about the most memorable moment event that included your stuffie.
• How did you come to get your stuffie, from whom, why, and a few brief memories - write a brief biography of your stuffie and you.
• Create a graphic novel that shows/tells about a time when your stuffie was there for you.
• On a scale of 1-10 (one being needing the stuffie with you most of the day to 10 where the stuffie (and you) are content to have the stuffie sitting on a shelf, or on a chair waiting for you to cuddle them -- what is your number relationship with your stuffie right now?  Explain how that came about.
• For older readers/writers:  Compare/contrast your own relationship with your stuffie to the relationship the two boys have with the green and pink-polka dotted companion and lion cub stuffie.  Is there a stuffie on your shelf awaiting a cuddle some time in the future.
4. Read some other books about comfort pals.
• Tony Baloney by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Scholastic, 2011).
• Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber (Houghton Mifflin, 1973).
• Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale  by Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2004).
• Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2007).
• Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2010).
5. If possible, include a day when readers can bring their stuffies to share the classroom experience.

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Cite this blog post:

McElmeel, Sharron. (2021, February 26). Stuffies - Always There. Green Frog Gifts (Blog). http://bit.ly/stuffies102

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Green Frog Gifts -- unique gifts -- sewing and cooking and definitely some cuddly blankets and stuffies.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GreenFrogGifts

Remembering... Raisin Pie

Remembering ... Raisin Pie

"At the blueness of the skies; and in the warmth of summer, we remember them."

And for decades tradition in the United States has brought together friends and family to remember a loved one who has passed into the next world.  We are left with memories and stories -- stories often told in the after days around food.  Before modern refrigeration came, death during seasons where there was a lack of fresh fruit, limited the pie offerings for the gatherings. But women (the primary cooks in the households of years past) were ingenious in their quest to share food at these gatherings.  Thus the "funeral pie" was born.  Dried raisins were available year around and thus could be used to make a raisin pie anytime during the year.  The popularity of the raisin pie on these occasions earned it the title of "funeral pie."

As years passed the raisin pie has gone under revision.  The basic raisin pie has been embellished with a meringue topping in place of the top crust; or eggs have been added and beaten into the raisins.

The tradition of the raisin pie as the favored funeral pie has gone by the wayside, but just the thought of raisin pie brings memories to me.  Memories of the loved ones lost and gone in the last years.  Sharing a raisin pie, no matter the occasion, brings memories back.

"At the blueness of the skies; and in the warmth of summer, we remember them."  And the memories bring joy with each passing day.

I HATE Vegetable Soup - Vegetable Soup

I HATE Vegetable Soup - Vegetable Soup

Whenever anyone finds out I don't like vegetables I get admonished about how good vegetables are for one's health.  Yes -- I really don't like vegetables.  Well sort of:

I'll eat fresh tomato bruschetti with basil. But I don't like tomatoes.  I'll eat soups such as chili with a tomato base; or pizza with tomato sauce. But I really don't like tomatoes for themselves.

I'll eat peas, but don't want them in soup.  Pea salad with cheese squares, sweet pickles, in a sweet mayonnaise dressing is actually delicious and a favorite. I'll eat corn (actually love fresh corn on the cob) but don't want corn in soup.  Carrots are okay but best if raw.  Will eat cooked if small pieces.

String beans - just don't like them.  Same with greens such as lettuce, kale - if anything raw spinach.  But I guess salad greens are not really vegetables but they are in the same category in my mind.

You get the idea.  But I do sort of like raw cauliflower, broccoli, but basically I really don't like vegetables. But this soup is so delicious that I don't really think it is filled with vegetables.  So here is the recipe -- the quantities are not precise by any means.  And if you are vegetarian I am sure you could make it with vegetable stock and no beef at all.

The soup comes out delicious and is great with fresh bread.  I have a friend who makes beer bread and it is great.  Just coarse enough and just right to dip into the broth and enjoy.  Not sure of her recipe but here is one I found that looks and sounds right.  

So serve up a big bowl - pour a glass of milk, butter a slice of bread, and enjoy.

Cite this blog post:
McElmeel, Sharron. (2021, February 10). I HATE Vegetable Soup - Vegetable Soup. Green Frog Gifts (Blog). http://bit.ly/vegsoup101

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Green Frog Gifts -- unique gifts -- sewing and cooking

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GreenFrogGifts

Panetonne Bread - a holiday treat

A treat and a literary connection for holiday sharing -- Panetonne Bread (Available from Bauducco Foods - a recipe from their Italian ancestors -- http://www.bauducco.com/en/discover/) and a copy of Tony's Bread by Tomie dePaola. dePaola provides the story behind it in Tony’s Bread: An Italian Folktale. The book shares the origin of the Christmas bread, panettone, and tells the story of Tony who dreams that one day he'll become the most famous baker in northern Italy. His poor daughter Serafina wants to be allowed to marry. Each of their dreams can come true.

Listen to a reading of Tony's Bread at https://youtu.be/oTmHoCOdxGI

The Brown Eyed Baker has a blog post that includes a recipe for making your own panetonne.  Check it out at https://www.browneyedbaker.com/panettone-recipe/

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Green Frog Gifts -- unique gifts -- sewing and cooking

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GreenFrogGifts

Cooking with Tomie dePaola

Telling Stories with Tomie “Food as Storytelling”

There are stories in many foods.  Tomie dePaola talks about his favorite memories and the food associated with his fifth birthday in a YouTube video from Jim Henson’s Company at:  https://youtu.be/tTnT1O7rYWI.  Start your own food traditions.

Strega Nona has always been a favorite story and sometimes it is fun to share a literary meal with friends and to make your own memories.  In Strega Nona’s first book spaghetti plays a major role --  Strega Nona is Italian and so is Tomie dePaola.  Together they make a great pizza. If you want to make Strega Nona’s pizza with Tomie dePaola and Italian chef Mary Ann Esposito take a look at the four episodes on Ciao Italia which aired on New Hampshire public television.  Episode 2726: Easy Homemade Ricotta-Strega Nona's Pizza-Strega Nona's - Calzones-Tomie's Pizza Dough. 

https://www.ciaoitalia.com/seasons/season-2/episode-2726

For a look at all of dePaola’s Srega Nona books visit his website at https://www.tomie.com/strega-nona-books-1

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Panettone is another Italian favorite. It is the traditional tall, fruit-filled (candied citron, lemon zest, and raisins) Italian sweet bread that is served at Christmas. Panettone can be made up to two months in advance, wrapped tightly  and stored in heavy-duty foil and refrigerated. Tomie dePaola provides the story behind it in  Tony’s Bread: An Italian Folktale.  The book shares the origin of the Christmas bread, panettone, and tells the story of  Tony who dreams that one day he'll become the most famous baker in northern Italy. His poor daughter Serafina wants to be allowed to marry. Each of their dreams can come true. 
There are several read alouds on YouTube - this one is read by Ms. Linda at Go Read!  https://youtu.be/oTmHoCOdxGI

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Green Frog Gifts -- unique gifts -- sewing and cooking

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GreenFrogGifts