Chocolate-Applesauce Bread

Applesauce adds moisture to this chocolate quick bread studded with peanuts. The batter comes together quickly and the bread bakes for about an hour -- while everyone sits around the tree. Round out breakfast with mugs of coffee and cocoa.

Makes: 16 servings

Prep: 15 minutesBake: 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1-1/3  cups  granulated sugar
• 2    eggs
• 1-1/2  cups  unsweetened applesauce
• 3  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-3/4  teaspoons  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 2/3  cup  milk chocolate chips
• 1/2  cup  dry-roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
•   Garnish:
• 1  teaspoon  confectioners' sugar
• 1  teaspoon  unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Coat nonstick loaf pan (11-1/2 x 5-1/2 x 3 inches) or 2 loaf pans (8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-3/8 inches) with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.
2. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed in large bowl until smooth and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add eggs; beat 1 minute. Beat in applesauce (mixture will look curdled).
3. Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl. Make well in center. Add applesauce mixture, chocolate chips and peanuts to well; stir into flour mixture until just combined and flour mixture is evenly moistened. Spoon mixture into prepared pan(s).
4. Bake in 350°F oven 60 to 65 minutes, until toothpick tests clean. Let cool in pan(s) 15 minutes. Turn out onto rack; let cool completely.
5. Garnish: Dust with sugar, cocoa.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings Per Recipe 16 servings
• Calories287,
• Total Fat (g)11,
• Saturated Fat (g)6,
• Cholesterol (mg)44,
• Sodium (mg)226,
• Carbohydrate (g)43,
• Fiber (g)2,
• Protein (g)5,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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From  Magazine

Catch a Snowflake

Catch a Snowflake

[15 Minutes]

The beauty of a snowfall is made even more special when you and your child can see the uniqueness of individual flakes. Try these ways of catching snowflakes!

You'll need:

• black or blue construction paper • magnifying glass (optional) • falling snow

What to do:

1. When it is snowing, invite your child to watch the falling flakes with you. Help him notice where the snow is falling and if it is sticking to the ground, tree branches, and sidewalks.
2. Suggest that you try to catch some snowflakes so you can see them up close.
3. Have him place a piece of dark construction paper in the freezer for a few minutes.
4. While the paper is getting cold, dress warmly and talk about why these snow clothes are needed.
5. Take the cold paper outside and catch some snowflakes. Stand under some light and look at them quickly before they disappear.
6. Encourage your child to look through a magnifying glass to see the unique shape of each snowflake.
7. When your child is no longer interested, try catching snowflakes on your tongues. (This works best if the snow falling is made up of really big flakes.)
8. You'll be laughing and giggling as you move and run to catch the snowflakes.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• What do snowflakes look like up close? Would you be able to draw some of the shapes we saw on paper?
• Could you taste the snowflakes? What does it taste like?

Useful information:

While you are having fun together, your child is developing observational skills and an understanding of nature.

Cagey Conifer "Holiday Card Holder"

'Tis no longer the season for growing veggies, so go ahead and transform a tomato cage from your garden into this clever evergreen look-alike.

Total Time Needed: 1-2 Hours

Materials

• Tomato cage
• Duct tape
• Wrapping paper
• Tape
• Scissors
• 3/4-inch binder clips

Instructions

1. First clean the cage's prongs and wrap them together with duct tape to form a point.
2. Roll a sheet of wrapping paper into a cone, tape it to secure it, and trim the bottom edge. Slip the cone over the cage's point.
3. Put a second sheet of wrapping paper under the cage, trace around the cage, and trim the circle so that it's just wider than the base.
4. Use binder clips to attach cards to the rings.

by JoEllen Mitchell 

Thanksgiving Hat craft

Step-by-Step Thanksgiving Hat Instructions

What You’ll Need

 • White paper plate
• Scissors
• Assorted paint colors
• Cotton swabs
• Paper: dark brown, light brown, black, orange, red
• Glue stick
• Brown crafts foam
• Stapler

 1. Cut a white paper plate in half. You will need one half of the plate per hat.

2. Paint each groove on the plate edge with assorted paint colors using a separate cotton swab for each color.

3. Cut a 6-inch-diameter circle from brown paper and cut it in half. Glue one of the halves to the plate. Cut out a 3-inch-diameter circle from light brown paper for the turkey’s head, two small circles from black paper for the eyes, a small diamond from orange paper for the beak and fold in half. , and a comma shape from red paper for the wattle. Glue all the pieces to the plate as shown.

4. When the paint is dry, punch a hole on each end of the brim. Tie a piece of raffia through the holes for a chin strap.

5. Cut two 2x11-inch strips from brown crafts foam for the headband. Staple one end of each piece together. Glue the stapled seam to the center back of the turkey with the staple ends facing the turkey; let dry. Complete the hat by fitting the bands around the child’s head and stapling it closed to fit.

A great Thanksgiving book to pair with the Thanksgiving Hat activity is, "Franklin's Thanksgiving." For ages 2.5-6

From Parents Magazine, adapted by Amber Thomas
 

Family Sunday Fundays: Turn Leftover Halloween Candy into Thanksgiving Treats

Now that your little ones have brought home all their hard-earned Halloween candy, you may be curious to know how you will get rid of all the Halloween candy without your or your child gaining ten pounds. Instead of nursing tummy aches this holiday season, you could be extending the life of your Halloween candy by incorporating it into the Thanksgiving celebration.


Bake It
The most obvious solution to getting rid of Halloween candy is to bake it. Candy likely won't go bad in the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving, but you can always freeze Halloween candy to keep it as fresh as possible. Baking Halloween candy into your Thanksgiving desserts is a simple and effective way to get smiles this Thanksgiving, whether you hide them in the middle of cookies or cupcakes, or melt them entirely and use in cake frosting or as part of the cake batter.

The internet is a treasure trove of Halloween candy recipe ideas. Try Cooks Candy Recipes, CDKitchen's Halloween Candy Recipes, or Recipezaar's Candy Recipes. You could also just use Google to find a great Thanksgiving dessert recipe using Halloween candy. If you have a particular brand name you have a surplus on, like Reese's Pieces or Nestle Crunch, plug those terms into the search engine.

Craft ItThere are many was to go when crafting Halloween candy. Have the kids take a variation on the classic drawing-a-turkey-with-your-hand, and with scissors and glue, make a festive collage with used Halloween candy wrappers. For example, they can use the Thanksgiving appropriate Reese's Pieces orange and Snickers brown to make a flashy hand turkey. Don't forget most candy bar wrappers have a glossy silver inside kids can use to make an eye-catching turkey or papercraft pilgrim's hat.

Google "Thanksgiving printables" for a wide variety of templates for your kids to decorate with Halloween candy wrappers. Let their imagination run wild.

Piñata ItIf your Thanksgiving celebration is rife with children, your best bet for getting rid of excess Halloween candy is by making them take some home with them, much to the chagrin of their parents. You can usually get a cheap piñata (maybe even a turkey piñata) at the dollar store, and it'll be a fun diversion for your children, so they won't stop asking you every ten minutes if the turkey is ready to eat.

Donate It
It is Thanksgiving, after all, and it's a good way to teach your child how fortunate they really are by teaching them to donate Halloween candy for people who really need it. Non-profit organizations like UNICEF and Ronald McDonald House will gladly accept your Halloween candy donations.

And Beyond...
If you can't get rid of all your Halloween candy by Thanksgiving, you could always give it another go for the Christmas season. Leftover Halloween candy can be used to make gingerbread houses and hard candy can be fashioned into Christmas ornaments.

Published by Ana Ng

Family Sunday Fundays:Yummy snack "Ants on a Log"

Since November is "Good Nutrition Month" I thought how appropriate that our very first blog be food related.

Ants on a Log are really easy - just spread celery sticks with peanut butter and top with raisins in a row (the 'ants', get it?). There are also some fun variations of this classic recipe.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

 

Ingredients:

• 3" celery sticks
• peanut butter
• raisins
• peanuts
• granola
• dried cherries

Preparation:

Spread the peanut butter inside the hollow of the celery sticks and top with raisins. For variety or food allergy, try using fruit flavored whipped cream cheese or a combination of peanut butter and honey instead of the plain peanut butter. Top the stuffed celery with peanuts, dried fruit pieces, granola, or different types of nuts. Think about ways that the kiddos can help i.e. wash the celery, spread the peanut butter, apply the raisins, etc.

Activity extension: Pair this cute and yummy snack with a classic children's book, "There's an Ant in Anthony"