Get Ready for Fun & Final Week of Thanksgiving Co-op!

Hello friends! For those of you joining us this week for the final week of our online

Thanksgiving Co-op, we've got two lists for the activity and treats we'll be sharing on our Facebook page:

Ingredients for the food treats that we'll be sharing:
2-3 large apples to make 2 cups diced apples
2 granny smith apples
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
5 tbsp brown sugar
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cornstarch
5 (6-inch) wheat tortillas
4 tablespoons butter
4 ¼ cups whole milk
2 tablespoons plus one teaspoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
4 tablespoons finely chopped or shaved semisweet chocolate
Vegetable oil or cooking spray
Large marshmallows
small heart-shaped cutter
1 teaspoon flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 slices bread
2 tablespoons candied walnuts

And here are the things needed for the crafts:
12 oz clean mason jar (1 per child)
2 ½ cups sugar (per child)
1 cup olive oil (per child)
4 tablespoons lemon juice (per child)
Thread and 1 1/8 yard of 45” wide Autumn-themed cotton fabric (per child)
Scraps of painted paper
A piece of paper finger painted with fall colors
Construction paper or magazine pages in red, orange, yellow, green, and brown
1 sheet of black construction paper for each child
Several empty cardboard tubes (like toilet paper rolls or paper towel tubes)
Paints in fall colors
Scraps of red and yellow felt
2 small black dots
1 large orange (per child)
Whole cloves

KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway & Kitchen Table Learning

We are kicking off an exciting week here at USAB!  We've got two BIG announcements:

1. We are celebrating Thanksgiving in a big way this year, with a BIG, BIG giveaway. The winner of this giveaway will a beautiful red KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer! The entry box is further down in this blog post - watch for it!


2.  Big sale on these fun kitchen-oriented titles - great hits for the holidays! Rich in a variety of learning experiences, you will also find science, history, geography, and much more!*
 

Chocolate Challenge     
Sale Price: $5
“What could be better than finding a way to incorporate chocolate into our school day?. . . It allows for some good hands-on projects—from taste testing to poll taking and graph-making. The students will get a brief history of chocolate, learn about some famous chocolatiers, determine their favorite brand of chocolate, and create a really gorgeous lapbook..." Margaret, PA

Pizza Party
Sale Price: $5
“I used this study with my three sons ranging in ages from 3 to 13. The kids had a great time experimenting and learning all about pizza. I really like the way the study is laid out and organized for each day’s lesson...The study was a fun learning experience, with lots of hands-on stuff for my busy fellows."  Katrina, NC

Bountiful Bread
Sale Price: $5
“During this unit study, our family learned geography while researching the origins of different types of bread such pita, pumpernickel, and ginger. We learned practical applications of science and mathematics while watching yeast grow in bread and measuring out ingredients to bake it. My children and I were able to have excellent social study discussions around the cultures from which these amazing breads originated..." Sarah, AR

During this unit study, our family learned geography while researching the origins of different types of bread such pita, pumpernickel, and ginger. We learned practical applications of science and mathematics while watching yeast grow in bread and measuring out ingredients to bake it. My children and I were able to have excellent social study discussions around the cultures from which these amazing breads originated. - See more at: http://www.unitstudy.com/BountifulBread.html#sthash.T9IWxEQO.dpuf

  

Crunchy Cookies
Sale Price: $5
“Your student will not only learn about the science of cookie making but geography, presidential history, weather, math, and so much more... If you are someone who has never tried unit studies or are uncomfortable creating your own, you should definitely give Download N Go a try. Amanda takes all the work out of it for mom and your kids will love it!"  Lisa, UT

Hoppin' Popcorn
Sale Price: $5
“I love the lapbook section of Hoppin’ Popcorn. The vocabulary pages are colorful and the minit-books have fun graphics with lots of learning packed in.  I have to say, the lapbook in this unit might be the best one yet!  It never ceases to amaze me how Amanda Bennett covers so many subjects in each study and does all of the work so my family can just spend time learning and exploring together.”  Karen, RI

* Sale ends 11/16/13

And NOW, for the fantastic KitchenAid Stand Mixer Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Getting Ready for Week 2 of the Thanksgiving Co-op!

The first week of our annual Thanksgiving Co-op on Facebook has been so much fun - please jump in and join us next week! For those of you that want to know more about the Co-op, go here.

We've got two lists of things for Week 2 of the Co-op. One list has the craft things that you'll need if you want to join in our craft projects, and one list has the ingredients that you'll need if you want to join in our food fun. It's all completely up to you, we're just trying to give you a heads-up.
Here’s the craft supply list for Week 2:

• Fabric paints or markers in fall colors
• Foam or paper plates
• Canvas aprons: 1 for you and 1 for each of your children
• Foam brushes 
• 2 different patterns of polar fleece, 2 yards of each pattern 
• Tape measure or yard stick
• Copy paper
• Crayons
• Stapler and staples
• Construction paper (various colors and black)
• Glue or glue stick
• Mum in a small pot (4"-6" pot, needs to fit inside a top opening in the good-sized pumpkin listed below. Here's a picture.)
• Pumpkins, medium size  (1 good-sized pumpkin for a tabletop decoration project, and a few more for a fun project with Dad that involves drilling. ;) 
• Petroleum Jelly
• Fall ribbon—enough to make a bow
• Low-temp. glue gun and glue
• Large wooden spoon 
• Tacky glue 
• Pair of googly eyes 
• Flat wooden craft spoon 
• Colorful printed wrapping paper or pages from old magazines 
• Waxed paper 
• Thin wooden skewers 
• Basket, large enough to fit a loaf of bread or dinner rolls
• Florist foam or Styrofoam block large enough to wedge into the basket 
• Cloth dinner napkin 
• Cardboard Tubes (toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, gift wrap, etc.) cut into 1 ½” sections
• Felt, fabric, ribbon or twine to cover cardboard tubes 
• Embellishments to decorate napkin rings--felt, leaves, buttons, beads, faux flowers 
• Binder clips or paper clips  
• Painter’s tape 
• Votive candles or light sticks for pumpkins
• Glass jar  
• Drill & bits

Here’s the food ingredient list for Week 2:
    •    15 ounces pumpkin
    •    1 cup evaporated milk
    •    Sugar
    •    Vanilla
    •    Cinnamon
    •    Nutmeg
    •    Cloves
    •    Cocoa powder
    •    1 box yellow cake mix
    •    1 cup pecans
    •    1 cup butter
    •    Whipped cream
    •    Milk
    •    1/2 Cup Espresso or Strong Coffee (French Vanilla Flavored)
    •    1 1/2 Tablespoon Pumpkin Puree
 

What's your Specialty?

Around our house, I am not known as a domestic goddess, and my “smoke detector cooking method” has made me infamous in many circles around the planet. I’m okay with that. However, some things I can cook very well, and the family favorite has to be my Mesquite Spaghetti, homemade from tomatoes grown in our garden and canned each fall by my husband.

Now, you might be wondering what Mesquite Spaghetti tastes like. Well, it has its own unique flavor. I had an Italian roommate in college who was a gifted cook, and she taught me how to make spaghetti, or as she called it, “gravy.” It was AWESOME to eat, and I practiced and cooked it quite often, much to the delight of my newlywed husband.

After children began arriving and I became a bit more preoccupied, I would forget to stir the spaghetti from time to time, and it would burn/stick to the bottom of the pot just a wee bit. This would give the spaghetti a “special” flavor, hence its family nickname, Mesquite Spaghetti. They all love the spaghetti, and we all laugh about the unique cooking process that has evolved over the years. Now, we set the timer every 30 minutes as a reminder, so that someone stirs the spaghetti when the timer goes off.

Family spaghetti night at the Bennett’s place involves Mesquite Spaghetti, my special homemade dinner rolls, and plenty of laughter and fun. I hope you’re creating your own specialties and great memories. From meatloaf to chicken soup, the possibilities are endless.

Go make some family memories in the kitchen this week!

Blessings,

 Amanda B.

Let the Fun Learning Frenzy Begin!

We know just how crazy the month of May can be for homeschooling families, so we decided to bring some zany fun into the end of the year equation with a BIG sale on our crazy food DNG titles (one-week, K - 4)!

From pizza to bread, chocolate to popcorn, we've got some titles that will bring a party atmosphere of fun AND learning to your home as you wind down this year.

Join in the celebration and let them learn as they close out one year and get ready for a summer of good times!

Each of these 5 titles are just $4 each this week.

Chocolate Challenge, Crunchy Cookies, Bountiful Bread, Pizza Party and

Hoppin Popcorn Download N Go (1 week, K-4)

It gets even sweeter - buy all 5 sale titles and you can save an additional $5!

Stop by our Facebook and Pinterest pages this week and you will find more Food and Learing Fun all week long!

Passover Recipes to Share

This week we've been investigating Passover and it's significance in our Easter Story.  Let’s take a look at a couple of breads made around Passover.  Why not share the Passover Story with your children, and then head to the kitchen to have some fun making one of these recipes!


Passover Iced Lemon Loaf

Passover Rolls

Yummy Matzo Rolls

Unleavened Bread


*These fantastic recipes were taken from our Bountiful Bread Download N Go.

Don't miss the great ideas and inspiration we've been sharing on our Facebook and Pinterest pages during our Easter HOPE Co-op, won't you join us?



P.S - Stay tuned for some special savings coming this week!

Easter Recipes - Challah Bread

Special foods and holidays go together.  We thought you may enjoy these recipes from our Bountiful Bread Download N Go - perfect for this season!

Challah bread is a popular bread made around Easter and other special times throughout the year. It is delicious and fun to make! Would you like to try challah bread?

Here are a few recipes for you to try:

Easter Challah Bread

Sweet Challah Easter Birds 

Pull-Apart Easter Blossom Bread

Video: How to Braid Bread

Do you have a special family bread recipe made at Easter that has been passed down, why not share it with us?

Come and visit our Facebook page during our Easter HOPE Co-op.  You can join anytime - we're sharing, encouraging and learning together, you don't want to miss it! 

 Easter Unit Study Adventure is only $6 through 3/24/12.

More of our Favorite Bread Recipes

We're having fun sharing all these delicious recipes!  Which one is your favorite?

From Elizabeth: Here is a family recipe for bread pudding that goes back to my mom’s mom and her three sisters. They are all gone now, but the “younger” generations still fondly call them the perfect four. They were all born and raised in New Orleans, where folks take their bread pudding very seriously, and this is a simple but delicious recipe! It’s just a lagniappe (Southern Louisiana Cajun for “a little something extra”).

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

4 cups stale French bread, buttered and cubed

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 cups evaporated milk

2 cups whole milk

¼ pound butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup raisins (optional)

Meringue:

4 egg whites, beaten

¼ teaspoon cream of tarter

1 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Place buttered bread in a 9” x 13” baking dish.
2. Beat eggs; add sugar and blend until creamy.
3. Add both milks, butter, and vanilla; pour over bread.
4. Place baking dish in a pan of water; carefully place in oven and bake 1 hour at 350°F. Halfway through the baking, add raisins (if desired), and stir.
5. To prepare meringue, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar until stiff.
6. After an hour of baking, spread meringue on top and return to oven till browned. Makes 6 servings.

 

From Charlotte: A homeschooling mom of 9 in our local support group gave this recipe to me years ago. Her family made multiple loaves every week, filling their home with that irresistible aroma of fresh-baked bread. I was a little intimidated at first. She was an "experienced" mom and I was just a newbie at the time, but I gave it a try and found it to be one of the most consistent and delicious recipes I've ever used. 

"Proofing" the yeast at the very beginning of this process provides some reassurance that things are going the way they should . . . and a teachable moment with the kids. This recipe produces the most delicious bread ever! It's so good that the kids don't seem as rowdy, the dust on the furniture not as thick, and the dirty laundry mound not as high!  

Amish White Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water (about 110°F)

⅔ cup white sugar

1½ tablespoons active dry yeast

1½ teaspoons salt

¼ cup oil

6 cups bread flour

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water and then stir in yeast. Allow to "proof" until yeast resembles a creamy foam layer on top of the water.
2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast, then mix in flour, one cup at a time.  
3. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well-oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise until double in size (about 1 hour).  
4. Punch dough down, then knead for a few minutes and divide in half. Shape into loaves and place in two well-oiled 9" x 5" loaf pans.
5. Allow to rise for 30 minutes or until dough has risen 1 inch above the top of the pans. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

 

From Karen: A good friend gave me this recipe when I first got married 28 years ago, and I’ve been making it ever since. I’ve become famous for it at every church we’ve ever been to, and it’s the treat most requested by my college students living away from home.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

2⅔ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup butter or margarine

1¾ cups sugar

4 eggs

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar in mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Add dry ingredients alternately with pumpkin, beginning and ending with dry. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Divide batter between two greased 9” x 5” loaf pans. Bake in preheated 350°F oven about an hour or until done. Makes two loaves.

Have you shared your favorite bread recipes?  We'd love to hear them!

Bread is for sharing!

We have a couple of recipes that we wanted to share with you . . . after all, what fun is baking bread if you don't get to share with your friends! Here are a couple of USAB team member's favorites:

From Elizabeth: Years ago, I used to grind my wheat and make all the bread we ate. Those days are long gone, but the family still asks for this bread. It’s delicious, and the dough enhancer makes it almost as fluffy as store-bought.

Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients:

1–2 tablespoons yeast

2¼–2¾ cups warm liquid

1–4 tablespoons honey, molasses, or maple syrup

2 teaspoons salt

¼ cup butter or oil

6–8 cups whole-wheat flour

Homemade Dough Enhancer:

¼ cup gluten

2 tablespoons soy lecithin

1000 milligrams vitamin C powder or granules

Directions:

1. Mix dough enhancer ingredients in small bowl; set aside.
2. Mix yeast with 3 cups flour.
3. Mix water, sweetener, and oil in a mixer bowl; add yeast/flour mixture and stir together to combine.
4. Let sit 10 to 15 minutes until bubbly; add dough enhancer.
5. Turn on mixer and add salt. Add flour, one cup at a time, until the dough pulls off the sides of the bowl.
6. Knead dough, cover with a towel until it doubles in size, and then knead it again.
7. Shape dough and put it in two 9" x 5" loaf pans; set in 150°F oven to rise again. After the dough rises, increase the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for about 35 minutes, until golden brown.

From Cindy: At the Murphy house, we like to use mini loaf pans for this recipe, and you can make up to 3. They make great gifts anytime and also freeze well.

This recipe also makes great muffins. I discovered this when I started making the mini loaves and still had batter left. So now I usually make 2 mini loaves and then muffins with the remaining batter. Also, for the muffins, I use mini chocolate chips instead of regular-size chips.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sour cream

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

⅛ teaspoon salt

1½ cups mashed banana (approx. 3 medium-size bananas)

½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter (or margarine) and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth and fluffy. Stir in sour cream.
2. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture.
3. Stir in bananas, nuts, and chocolate chips. Mix just until well blended.
4. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 55 to 65 minutes or until well browned. Check center for doneness with a toothpick.

From Renita: My mother-in-law, has made these rolls forever. They are a family favorite, we even call them “Grandma Rolls,” but no one has been able to make them taste as good as she does!

Grandma Rolls

Ingredients :

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons salt

4 cups warm water (about 110°F)

1 cup oil

3 pkgs of yeast

12–13 cups bread flour

Directions:

1. Stir sugar and salt into warm water until dissolved. 
2. Add oil, then yeast.
3. Stir in about 4 cups of flour at a time. Keep adding flour, stirring until the dough is not sticky (use more or less as needed). Start this around 3 p.m., and let it sit, covered, on counter until it is doubled in size.  
4. Roll dough into small balls about the size of a golf ball. Place on a cookie sheet and cover. Let rise until morning. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Yield: 3–4 dozen.

Come back tomorrow for a couple more bread recipes. If you have a bread recipe to share, share it with us, we'd love to try it! Leave your favorite in our comments section to share it with your friends.

If you haven't stopped by our Facebook and Pinterest pages yet, you're missing out on some delicious treats!

Kneading a Change?...Bountiful Bread is Here!

Bread. Just the smell of this wonderful food can get the immediate attention of most people! So many fun and memorable childhood events include memories of bread making and baking. From holiday favorites to daily breads, this food item dates way back to biblical times and still plays an important role in our lives. From pizza dough to whole wheat bread, biscuits to soft pretzels, bread is a fun and interesting thing for
kids to study.

At our house, my homemade rolls have always been a favorite addition to any meal. From the time the children were young, they loved watching the process and eating the results! When studying bread, your child will investigate the science of bread—what the steps are to make bread and what happens at each step to create the finished product. They will learn about some of the many types of bread along with their country of origin; geography lessons via the dinner plate are always memorable!


With this study/lapbook, your child will investigate all kinds of things about bread, including the history of bread, types of bread, some of the countries that created unique kinds of bread, and much more. Each day he will explore and investigate, creating and adding more learning components to his Bountiful Bread lapbook—building a wonderful reminder of all that he is learning to be enjoyed for years to come.

Take a Peek Inside this brand NEW unit

This is a great time to catch a breath of some fresh learning (and bread!) in your home.  Our special introductory price will make taste even better - just $5!

Please visit our Pinterest and Facebook pages for more delicious learning, inspiration and activities all week long!





Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! 

What could tell you how much we love you better than a SWEET deal on one of your favorites . . .

Chocolate Challenge Download N Go is just $3 today only!

It's mouth-watering fun for everyone!

Delve into science discoveries, such as learning about how chocolate comes from a bean pod—that makes it a vegetable, right? Develop an understanding of the basics of how chocolate is made and where it comes from. Learn about rainforests and the ancient Maya and Aztec uses of chocolate. Research the amazing stories of some of the world's foremost chocolatiers!

Love, Chocolate and Learning - what could be better than that?

Blessings,

Amanda B.

PS - Tell your friends and share the love!  This sweet deal is only good today.

Triple Chocolate Delights

Triple Chocolate Delights

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cups dried canberries
1 cup white chocolate chips
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped roasted salted macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift first 3 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add both sugars and beat until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat just until blended. Using spatula, stir in cranberries, all chocolate chips, and nuts.

For large cookies, drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing 21/2 inches apart. For small cookies, drop dough by level tablespoonfuls onto sheets, spacing 11/2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until just golden, about 18 minutes for large cookies and about 15 minutes for small cookies. Cool on sheets. Do ahead Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 36 servings

Thank you Elizabeth Brandt for this award-winning, mouth-watering recipe!

Do you have a recipe to share, leave it in comments section.  Come visit us on Facebook this week for more  Christmas inspiration.

Christmas Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies

½ cup butter, softened           

2½ cups flour

½ cup shortening                 

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup confectioners sugar        

Red food coloring

1 egg 

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and shortening with an electric mixer. Add confectioners sugar and blend. Add egg, almond extract, and vanilla and mix until well blended. Measure the flour in a separate bowl and mix in salt. Slowly mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, scraping down the bowl as needed. Divide the dough in half in 2 bowls. Add a few drops of red food coloring to one half of thed ough. Mix in the food coloring until well blended and the color you desire. Cover both bowls with plastic wrap and allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Here is the part our children like the best, since it’s like rolling play dough: For each cookie, make a rope of plain dough and a rope of red dough; twist the two ropes together and shape into a candy cane.

Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 9 minutes until lightly brown. Allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with red sugar or confectioners sugar.

Thank you Laura Clark, for sharing this family favorite with us!

Do you have a cookie recipe to share - leave it in our comments below!

                           

Cranberries Anyone?

Thanksgiving and cranberries go so well together.  Here's a Cranberry & Marshmallow Salad recipe that kids are sure to love (mine do!) Best of all, it's easy to put together the night before...

Ingredients:
32-36 oz. fresh cranberries (chopped in food processor)
40 oz. can of crushed pineapple (drained)
10.5 ounce bag of mini marshmallows
8 ounce whipped topping

Combine all ingredients together and refrigerate overnite.

Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving recipe to share?  Come visit us on our Facebook page, or leave one in the comments below.

Yummy Wednesday!

Welcome to the beginning of the holiday season here at the Bennett house! I wish you could be sitting here in the kitchen, talking with me as I make this wonderful banana bread!

This has always been a holiday favorite in our family and a fond memory of my childhood. I can remember the excitement that rippled through the house when Mom would make the first batch of this luscious bread in early November. This was the unofficial beginning of the holiday season at our house—a tradition that has carried down through generations. I hope that you get a chance to try this, and perhaps share one of your family’s favorite recipes here on the blog!

Aunt Barbara’s Banana Nut Bread

(I usually double this to make 2 loaves.)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix:

¼ cup soft shortening

¾ cup sugar

Beat in thoroughly:

1 egg

Stir in:

⅔ cup mashed bananas (about 2)

3 tablespoons buttermilk (or 3 tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon vinegar)

In a separate bowl, sift together:

2 cups all-purpose flower

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

Slowly mix ½ cup chopped pecans, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and flour mixture into sugar mixture. Beat well.

Pour batter into a greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.

Bake about 1 hour at 350°.

Be sure to stop by and visit us on Facebook as we share our way through the Thanksgiving Unit Study Adventure - all month!