All posts by NerdMom

gift worthy, history, literature

Who put the B in the Ballyhoo?

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The kids and I read this interesting book this week. NerdBug picked this out at the library a couple of weeks ago and I wasn’t real sure. It wasn’t questionable but I was didn’t think it would hold all 3 kids attention. Boy, was I wrong! They all loved it. It is a colorful book filled with actual posters from the circus. It follows the alphabet with different adjectives describing the different acts. I was prepared to edit on the fly because we all know that the circus can be a bit questionable but, I didn’t need to. It was all quite tasteful and interesting. The kids were so intrigued they have talked about the cool and weird things they saw. I would recommend this book for all ages. The 2, 4 and 6 year olds all give it a thumbs up!

Food

Freezer Friday: Make Ahead Hamburger

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Welcome to Freezer Friday. The goal here is to make our lives easier. Due to the fact I have 4 little ones and homeschool, I need all the help I can find. Simply post a recipe that can be made, frozen and then later reheated(thawed, etc) and consumed. Make sure that you include freezing and reheating instructions in your post. Then come here and add you post (not your blog) into Mr. Linky.
Now for some disclaimers:
If it isn’t a recipe, I will delete it.
If it can’t be made ahead, I will delete it.
If you don’t have a family friendly site, I will delete it.
Now onto the food fun!

Make Ahead Hamburger

This is really more of a process than a recipe. The purpose for this is to have packets of hamburger, of about 1 pound weight, waiting for you cooked and ready to go in the freezer. I think take it out and put it into spaghetti, cheeseburger pie, hamburger helper or anything that calls for hamburger. You can even add taco seasonings to it after it is cooked to do tacos or taco baked potatoes.

Basically, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then put your hamburger into an appropriate sized cooking dish. For example, I did about 8 pounds this week and split it between a 9×13 and an 8 1/2 x11. Then season and stir like you would in a skillet. You will use a lot of seasonings because you are cooking a lot of meat. I personally use garlic, Pappy’s, and chili powder. Place the dishes in the oven and turn on the timer for 15 minutes. The come back and stir the meat, placing back in the oven for another 20 minutes if needed. Continue this process until all the meat is cooked. Then drain off (I tend to spoon it out) most of the grease. Let cool. Then divide it into 1 pound (or what ever size you use) packages. Then freeze nice and flat. To use it you have a couple of choices. You can set it on the counter or in the refrigerator to cool. Another way is to take the nice frozen meat and crumble it into a skillet, add a little water and thaw that way.

So add you recipe and enjoy cooking!

Technorati Tags: Cooking, Freezer Fridays, Make Ahead

education

School vs Life

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“The difference between school and life? In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.”

~Tom Bodett

So what are the differences between school and life? School should be what prepares and equips us for life. Sometimes that learning will be happening at the same time life is because neither exists in a vacuum. I suppose that is why our school systems are failing. The kids aren’t taught how history effects our life or our nation’s life or the path of the world. How math should tie into finances and help develop our logic. Even how english, grammar, and literature can give voice to our soul. We aren’t shown how or why we need to pay attention in school to make our lives run smoothly.

So I guess it really boils down to one thing. School teaches us the skills that our life needs to succeed.

Food

Strawberry Amaretto Pastries

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I saw the year’s first strawberries so I was reminded of a recipe I used to make at parties when I sold Pampered Chef. It seems hard but it really isn’t. It is girly and delicious! I think I will use this for a tea party with the kids and any Easter Entertaining(when the strawberries get good and cheap;).

The Pampered Chef ®
Strawberry Amaretto Pastries
Recipe

1/2 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry sheets (1 sheet), thawed
1/2 cup sliced almonds, divided
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 orange
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups thawed, frozen whipped topping
12 large strawberries, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Unfold pastry dough onto Large Round Stone. Coarsely grate half of the almonds using Deluxe Cheese Grater. Combine grated almonds and half of the sugar; sprinkle evenly over surface of dough. Lightly press almond mixture into dough using Baker’s Roller®.
2. Using Pizza Cutter, cut dough lengthwise into three strips; cut strips crosswise into four squares for a total of 12 squares. Using Mini-Serving Spatula, separate squares evenly over surface of baking stone. Bake 16-18 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove from baking stone; cool completely.
3. Place remaining almonds in Small Oval Baker. Microwave on HIGH 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring after each 30-second interval; coarsely chop using Food Chopper and set aside. Zest entire orange using Lemon Zester/Scorer. Combine zest and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; set aside.
4. Whisk sour cream, powdered sugar and almond extract in Classic Batter Bowl using Stainless Whisk. Fold in whipped topping using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®. Slice strawberries using Egg Slicer Plus®. Split open each pastry square; arrange half of the strawberries into bottom of each shell. Top each with about 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling and sprinkle with chopped almonds. Top with remaining sliced strawberries and sprinkle with sugared orange zest. Place tops of pastry shells over filling. Serve immediately.

headlines, politics

Another Great Man Passes

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William F. Buckley Jr. died today. There is already a touching tribute, or more appropriately a series of tributes up at National Review. He is an icon in the conservative movement. I personally enjoy the debate he had with Gore Vidal (due to language I am only posting a link). He wasn’t a party man but a man of principals and he would take on anyone. May there be more like him. My sympathies and prayers to all who loved him and cared for him.

tech

Got old computers?

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What happens when you are done with your Nerd Things? We all (ok, the nerdy of us) have old unused computers that we don’t really know what to do with. We don’t want to throw them out because they are of some use but not really to us. Well now there is an option. Costco has paired with GreenSight to give us an option (for Costco members). Basically you go to the site and input the details about your computer. Then it gives you a “trade in value” and if you accept the value you proceed. Then they give you a free, prepaid shipping label to send the equipment to them. Then you get a Costco Cash card for the “trade in value”. GreenSight salvages any parts that can be used and then works with others to dispose of the remains without using a landfill. I think that is a win, win!

Technorati Tags recycling, Costco, GreenSight, old computers

Homeschoooling, science, Video

YouTube and Homeschooling

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Does anyone else remember the animated science show on PBS called Eureka? Well, it is probably not surprising that bother NerdDad and I loved this show as kids. So NerdDad set to searching this out for the Nerdlings and Eureka! he found them. There are 30 pieces of episodes over at YouTube. We have downloaded them and uploaded them to the Tivo. NerdBug and NerdPie are loving them. They may not understand all the complex science but they ask to watch them over and over. So I am sure that the science will sink in! So I don’t know who BubbleBear83 is but I appreciate the effort. Now that is using the Internet to our advantage!