Sew up a Stocking

Supplies:
Red felt
Green Yarn
Scissors
Glue
Glitter, beads, cotton balls…

Directions:
Cut out the red felt using the stocking template. Cut small hold along the edges (not the top). Have children sew yarn through the holes. Decorate as much or as little as wanted. Don’t forget to fill it up with treats!

Gingerbread House

Ingredients:

• white frosting (bought or made from scratch)
• graham crackers
• milk containers from school lunch - one for every child
• small squares of cardboard - one for each child
• white coconut
• mini marshmallows
• gumdrops
• licorice
• life savers
• any other fun, decorative candies
• cake decorator bags with tips

Directions:

Put frosting in bags with tips.

Glue milk carton down (using frosting as glue) to cardboard square.

(Do next step for smaller children, or, with bigger children, allow them to do it themselves). Put a graham cracker square on 2 milk carton sides. Glue together with frosting. It's okay if it gets on grahams, it looks like snow!

Repeat with other sides.

Angle two grahams at the top for the roof and glue together with frosting.

Now let the kids have fun. White coconut can be used for snow, candies can be glued on the outside of the house, mini marshmallows can be used to build snowmen.

Bigger marshmallows work better with smaller children.

Glue everything with frosting. Now the children’s' houses are completely edible, or can be put up for display.

Week 51: Merry Christmas

*Suggested Reading*
The Nutcracker by Janet Schulman, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Renee Graef
The Oldest Elf by James Stevenson
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
The Christmas Star by Marcus Pfister
Mooseltoe by Margie Palatini


Items needed this week:
Paper Bag
Red,black and white construction paper
Cotton balls
One package of red and white striped candy canes
Small, red pon pons
Small, black pon pons
One package of brown pipe cleaners
One package of small googly eyes
Red felt
Green Yarn
Scissors
Glue
Glitter, beads, cotton balls…
White frosting (bought or made from scratch)
Graham crackers
Milk containers from school lunch - one for every child
Small squares of cardboard - one for each child
White coconut
Mini marshmallows
Gumdrops
Licorice
Life savers
Any other fun, decorative candies
Cake decorator bags with tips


Snack Suggestion:

*M&Ms
More Than Colors

These special little candies,
Come in colors bright and fun.
There’s more than color to be found;
A story of God’s Son.

The M’s turn into W’s,
If you turn them upside down.
A few more turns and E and 3’s
Are waiting to be found.

M is for the manger,
Where Mary laid her precious boy.
Little did the world know,
This baby would bring great joy.

The W is for the Wise men,
Who followed a bright star.
The star revealed a king was born,
They came but, oh, so far.

In Bethlehem they found Him,
Just as they had been told.
3 is for the gifts they brought;
Frankincense, myrrh and gold

W is also for their worship,
As they bowed before their King,
Salvation is the promise given,
There’s nothing we can bring.

Faith alone is how we come
He died to set us free.
E is for eternity,
God’s gift to you and me.

Bake me a Cake

Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Frosting


Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350º. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans and set them aside. In a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup, measure 1 1/2 cups water. Add the unsweetened chocolate squares to the water. Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring after 1 1/2 minutes or until the chocolate has melted. Stir in the cocoa and set the mixture aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter for 1 minute; add the granulated and brown sugars and cream for another 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs individually, beating well after each one. Beat in the vanilla extract.

3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Beginning with about a third of the flour, add the flour mixture and chocolate mixture alternately to the butter and sugar, stirring well after each addition.

4. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two pans, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Place the pans on the middle oven rack and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.

5. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then place a cooling rack atop each pan and, holding the edges to the pan, flip the cake onto the rack. Cool completely before frosting.

6. Place one layer on a plate and spread the top with chocolate frosting. Place the second layer on top and then frost the top and sides of the cake.

7. For a finishing touch, decorate the top and bottom edges of the cake with a piped icing border. Serves 8 to 10.


Frosting:
• 2 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 Tablespoon softened butter
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• Food coloring to tint

The frosting is ready after all ingredients have been incorporated. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of water until it reaches the desired consistency.

Good morning Blue Berry Muffins

Ingredients:
• 2-1/2 cups plus flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled or vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups blueberries

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 12-cup muffin pan. Combine 2-1/2 cups flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside. In another bowl combine second set of ingredients. Add to dry ingredients and stir only until moistened. Combine blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour. Then add blueberries to rest of batter. Place in muffin tin. Sprinkle batter tops with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup banana (mashed)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream shortening and sugar, beat in eggs until frothy. Add flour, baking powder and soda, salt alternating with mashed banana.
Once thoroughly mixed pour into 9x5x3" loaf pan. Bake for approximately one (1) hour. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing.
Nuts of your choice may be added prior to baking for additional flavor and texture.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
• ¾ cup Butter flavored Crisco
• 1 ¼ -cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 ¾ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1- 12oz. Bag chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cream Crisco, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Blend until creamy. Blend in egg. Combine flour salt and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add to creamed mixture, gradually. Drop by tablespoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes