Pumpkin Magic Bars

Magic cookie bars are just so good.  They are one of those desserts that are perfect for potlucks because you know they will go quickly and be enjoyed by children and adults alike.  I was a little skeptical about adding pumpkin into the mix, but boy oh boy, it was worth it!  My teaching team DEMOLISHED these during our meeting one week (hence why the only picture I could get was on a paper plate - they were eaten too fast!)

Ingredients:

• 1 box spice cake mix
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon works too)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Combine cake mix, oil, and eggs with an electric mixer.  Spread in bottom of pan.

In a small bowl, combine milk, pumpkin, and spice.  Pour over cake batter mixture in the baking pan.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and then coconut.

Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool at least 10 minutes on counter before cooling in the fridge for 2+ hours.

Recipe from Mix and Match Mama

Life Lately

Since returning home, life has been busy and wonderful.  It's good to be back!

On the first day of each quarter, the teachers at my school have a potluck lunch where everyone brings a dish to share and we eat together catching up on everything that has happened during our break.  I was told that it was too hot to turn on the oven, so I made these no-bake cookie dough bars and they were a HIT!

The only problem with these bars is that they killed my trusty hand mixer.  One of the beaters would no longer lock in to place, and it started to smell like it was about to start on fire.  I took this failure or my hand mixer as the opportunity to finally get myself every girl's dream kitchen appliance - a Kitchenaid.  Isn't he pretty?

Once September hits, it's fall in my brain.  Even if it's 100 degrees outside - like it has been ALL week - my brain says apple and pumpkin and FALL.  I declared pumpkin season officially opened with these pumpkin chocolate chip mini-muffins that I brought to school for my team before parent orientation last week.

And of course, with fall and pumpkin comes one of my favorite parts of September, the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte to Starbucks!

My brain might be saying fall, but my body is still saying summer and I'm trying to enjoy the last pool days of the summer!

September also brings with it one of my favorite days of the year - my birthday!  I had a wonderful birthday weekend, ended perfectly with dinner with TDN and two of our dear friends.  Heather made an incredible meal for me.  I am so thankful to have her in my life.

I'm also thankful that she caters so well to my peanut butter cravings.  She made me a chocolate peanut butter cup cake with peanut butter frosting.  It was incredible.  And sent us all immediately into diabetic shock.  But it was worth it.  So worth it.

We enjoyed some time together, some time with friends, some hiking, and some time with Little Max.  TDN thought Littles might want to ride in a Google bike with us.  He wasn't a huge fan, but he was a trooper!

That's life!

Back to School

Bing Nursery School is back in session!  Teachers were on site last week preparing for the new year and the children returned this week.

We are in the middle of a heat wave in Northern California so everyone is trying to have fun and stay cool!

This year is also an exciting one at Bing because it is our 50th Anniversary!  Teachers, administration, and families are excited for the year ahead.

Welcome back, and LET'S PLAY!

Pumpkin Maple Pecan Granola

Fall is my favorite season.  And with fall comes all things pumpkin, which I love.  TDN gets sick of pumpkin by the end of November, but this was one of his favorite fall recipes last year which has been requested to come back into the granola rotation.  It has a nice maple flavor, as well as the subtle, but not overwhelming taste of pumpkin.  I could eat a whole batch of this in a sitting, no problem!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, pecans, spices, sugar, and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk oil, syrup, and pumpkin puree together well.

Pour pumpkin mixture over dry ingredients and quickly mix with a wooden spoon.

Spread the mixture onto your baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring once after about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven when golden brown.  Pour into a large bowl and stir until completely cool.

Transfer to an airtight container.

Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

With the beginning of the new school year upon us, I try to choose well-known songs for part of my story time plan.  I find that having a song that the children - new and returning - know makes early story times easier.  Many children find it easier to attend when they know the tune, words, and/or actions of the song.

This is such a classic, but it's one of my favorite songs that I can go to in a pinch when I need something to occupy a large group.

Everyone knows the words, but there are many other fun things you can do with this song to extend it.  Some of my favorite ways to mix it up include leaving out a word or two, modifying speed, modifying volume, and using other languages.  My top modification is attempting to sing the song in reverse, which tends to trip up the children, teachers, parents, and myself, and we all end up laughing together to end the song.

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes
Knees and toes.

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes
Knees and toes.

Eyes and ears and mouth and nose.

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes
Knees and toes.

Finger painting

I have two favorite activities in the art area, both of which are despised disliked by many of my colleagues.  One is cooking, the other is finger painting.

Finger painting is messy, really messy.  And it often gets a little crazy.  There are so many things to keep track of - paint, trays (if you're using them), smocks and clips, paper, markers, and colorful fingers.  Somehow, I love the chaos of this activity and the sensory exploration it allows.

There are many great ways to lead a finger painting activity in a classroom like mine, but I'll lay out my most common practices.

In our classroom, a teacher is in a rotation for a week, usually allowing 5 days of a given activity and repeated experiences for interested children.

The first choice to make is whether you want finger painting to be a hands and fingers activity or more of a full-body sensory activity.  To keep this activity a little more contained, many of our teachers choose to use the under side of a plastic tray as the painting surface for each child.  Otherwise, you can use the top of the table, either sectioned off with masking tape (as I've done in the above picture) or with a bare tabletop.

I set up each chair with a smock (and a clip to help the failing Velcro), ready and waiting for an interested child to come over.  Then I squirt a little bit of Crayola Fingerpaint onto the table (or tray) in front of each chair.

I also prepare a stack of fingerpainting paper in a reachable location with a couple of Sharpie markers for making prints of the fingerpainting.  Any time I have a break in the action while children are painting, I write their names on the paper to be prepared.

I start the week using one of the primary colors and switching each day - maybe using red on Monday and blue on Tuesday.  On Wednesday and Thursday, I like to add in a second primary color, as well as white - the white helps darker colors more visible when mixing, especially mixing red and blue to make purple.  On Friday, I use all three primary colors, as well as white.

While children are working, we talk about the colors and their mixing, as well as the different ways children are using their hands and bodies to interact with the paint.

When they reach a point where they are satisfied with their product, I invite them to make a print of their design.  The print goes on the drying rack, they wash their hands and remove their smocks, and I scrape the excess paint off the table to prepare for the next ready fingers.

I hope you can come to enjoy this activity as much as I do!

Quick Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate is one of my great loves in this world, but sometimes I'm just not in the mood for it.  When that happens, it's usually because I want coconut.  This recipe is the perfect quick fix for that coconut craving!

Ingredients:

• 5 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine coconut and flour in a mixing bowl with a large wooden spoon.  Add in salt, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla.

Drop scoops (about 2 T) onto parchment.

Bake until lightly brown and toasted (15-20 minutes).

Remove from oven and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe borrowed from Mix and Match Mama