A Melodious Sonnet

Favorite Family Dessert: Fruit Ripple Recipe (Video) | Khemists in the Kitchen, Episode 4

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When was the last time you had something really fruity that gave you a melt-in-the-mouth experience? Something that was actually healthy to boot? Fruit ripple is the epitome of that, and our family loves this dessert on the rare days when my brother decides to give it to us!

Fruit Ripple Recipe

Originally, this recipe came from an Usborne children’s cookbook. Mom got it out of the library for me back when I was 9 or 10, and I loved it so much that I ended up buying my own copy, even though $15 seemed like a huge amount of money at the time! Our version is changed enough, though, that we think it’s probably okay to share.

Fruit Ripple Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups of fruit (he used equal amounts of frozen bananas, plum halves, peaches, and black currants—we usually use whatever’s on hand at the time)
  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • ¼ cup sugar, honey or a combination (we use a squirt or two of liquid Stevia)

Directions:
Pour fruit into a blender (may be easier to do in a food processor). Add the greek yogurt (may make the process a little easier if this goes in first). Add sweetener, and blend well—should end up with something resembling a very thick smoothie.

Whip the cream, adding a bit of sweetener there as well. Whip it to a good amount of thickness. (Maybe a little thicker than in the video—our cream wasn’t obeying!) Pour into a serving bowl, and then carefully fold the fruit mixture in with the cream.

Store in the fridge to set a little more, until you’re ready to eat it. We put it in the freezer most of the time, and usually it isn’t a problem—except when we forget about it, and then it turns into something like ice cream.

Ever had a dessert similar to fruit ripple before? What is your favorite kind of an easy-to-make dessert?

How to Make Eggnog (Recipe Video) | Khemists in the Kitchen, Episode 3

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There’s a bit of a story behind this one…my brother came up with the idea for sharing how to make eggnog one day, but for several days we couldn’t make it because I was working. Finally, we were able to do it—but due to poor planning, and acting-as-you-go, the first take turned out pretty terrible. (I laughed while videoing at one stage! Bad, bad videographer!)

For a while, he was okay with the result, but then decided it should be better if we were going to share it with anyone. Below is the second version, much better than the first.

Be warned: The first 4 min, 40 sec is slightly gross, so if you have a weak stomach I suggest you skip it. It’s not bad, but it does contain rotten eggs and other like disgusting stuff. Bear in mind that the first half is and was supposed to be a spoof, and you should be okay.

Eggnog Recipe (the good kind):

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg (as fresh as possible—we use our own eggs, preferably laid that day)
  • pour in milk up to the 1 cup mark on your blender
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • a few drops of vanilla extract
  • a couple (slight) shakes of nutmeg

Directions:
Add together in blender, and blend well. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

We make this occasionally now that the boys have discovered how simple it is to make and how yummy it tastes! Usually, we replace the sugar with stevia, because that’s better for us. However, sugar works well too.

Have you had eggnog before? What was your impression of the drink?

Midweek Mix-Up #16—A Bible Story Book and Blogging Tips

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We’ve arrived at the middle of the week again, which means time for another midweek mix-up!

Last week, I spent a lot of time figuring out what needs to be done over the next few months in order to attain some goals I have set. That includes upping the amount of new reviews posted each week, possibly even doubling the past amount! Currently, that seems huge, but one thing I want to focus on is write more reviews, which means taking more time for reading.

Midweek Mix-Up Picture 01: Mom and Little Sis

I was trying to get pictures today of little sis for the website (I had an idea for a new banner!), but she decided she wanted Mom to read her her favorite book instead of posing!

I have about fifty print books in my room at the moment that I haven’t read (they’ve been collecting out here for the last year or more!), so it’s my goal to get through all of them. That’s not counting the 300+ on my kindle that I want to read as well! So I’ve got plenty to read, I just have to make sure to take the time.

Right now, I’ve just finished . . .

212—Resist by Emily Ann Putzke

Resist by Emily Anne Putzke

I’m going back and forth about reviewing this for the website. I loved the story—it’s a true story, fairly well written, and has great historical value. However, there was quite a bit of language at one stage, something I do not appreciate. I will be reviewing this on Goodreads and Amazon, so you can hear my thoughts there, anyway. I’ll include a link in one of these midweek mix-ups when I finish it (hopefully next week).

New reviews this week:

My Big Book of Bible Heroes for Kids by Glen HascallMy Big Book of Bible Heroes for Kids by Glen Hascall — This looks like it would be a great birthday present for someone!
Forty-eight short stories focus on various character qualities that people in the Bible demonstrated.

Underground by David Macaulay
In a combination of descriptive text and detailed ink drawings, Macaulay shows all the systems in place under streets to keep cities moving smoothly.

Home on the Blue Ridge by Pablo YoderHome on the Blue Ridge by Pablo Yoder — I loved this story, and the rest of the family did too, when Mom read it aloud to us recently.
The Sanford Yoder family, now living at Faith Mission Home, continues to have adventures as the boys explore the mountains and learn more about life.

No Children, No Pets by Marion Holland
When Mother inherits an apartment house in Florida, the children pitch in to help with the work so they can stay there.

Palio, the Wildest Horse Race in the World by Marguerite HenryPalio, the Wildest Horse Race in the World by Marguerite Henry — Fascinating story about an interesting horse race!
The big dream of Giorgio’s life is to ride in the Palio, the great historical race held every year in the city of Siena, Italy.

A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver by E. L. Konigsburg
While they wait for Henry II to be released from Purgatory, Eleanor of Aquitaine, her mother-in-law, a knight and an abbot pass the time by telling stories from Eleanor’s life.

Interesting and encouraging blog posts:

Do Your Kids Really Know What You Believe? (Not Consumed) — While it is for Moms, this post was really thought provoking. What do I want to teach my children? How will they think about these important issues? Very, very good thoughts here.

But I Homeschool to Keep My Kids From Being Exposed to Worldliness (Not Consumed) — Another one for Moms, this post was also really thought provoking. Very interesting perspective.

James Scott Bell Shares His Process For Brainstorming A New Story (Go Teen Writers) — A fascinating blog post. While I might not follow these exact steps, it does provide a great pattern to study and tweak to make it work for you.

From Blunderer to Blogger: A Cautionary Tale (Money Saving Mom) — Ouch! This hits home more than I’d like to admit.

When God Asked Me To Give Up My Dream (The Rebelution) — Wow. This is well worth the read. I’ve had this experience at least once, possibly more, and while it isn’t fun it’s also wonderful to know that He has a plan—even if I don’t.

Tool of the week:

Aspect Ratio Calculator tool

screenshot of Aspect Ratio Calculator website

Aspect Ratio Calculator is something I use multiple times a week to make sure my pictures are all the right sizes when resized. Plug in the numbers you have, and what you want to end up with, and it will instantly give you the other number you need. It’s slick, easy, and fast. I use it for every blog post I write (so the image in the email won’t end up too big), and I also use it for each review I post as well, along with other miscellaneous things. This is a very handy tool!

Well, that’s it for this week! Next week, I’m thinking of a free resources post, such as planners, programs, apps, and such like. Anything you would add to a list like that?

–Esther

Our Favorite Snacks (Recipe Video) | Khemists in the Kitchen, Episode 2

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Hello, again! Today, I’d like to share our family’s two most favorite snacks. These are eaten a lot around here—as in, almost everyone has one kind or the other each day.

Our Favorite Snacks Recipe (Video)

The nice thing about these is that they’re simple enough that with a little supervision, my six-year-old brother can make them himself! He thought he’d like to show you how to do it, too.

First, he shows how to make Cheese Bread.

Ingredients:

  • A piece of toast (can be untoasted—works either way)
  • Mayonnaise
  • Slice of cheese
  • Optional: Prepared mustard

Directions:
Take a piece of toast, spread on a thin layer of mayonnaise, lay a slice of cheese on top, and grill for a minute or two until the cheese has melted. Optionally serve it with prepared mustard—some of us like it that way, and others don’t.

Then, he shows how to make Cinnamon Toast.

Ingredients:

  • A piece of toast (can be untoasted—works either way)
  • Butter
  • Cinnamon sugar (we usually mix ¼ part cinnamon with ¾ parts sugar)

Directions:
Take a piece of toast, spread on a layer of butter (thickness depends on preference), sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top, and grill for a minute or two until the butter has melted.

These two are super-easy, but very yummy! Sometimes, instead of putting cheese on the cheese bread, we’ll slice fresh tomatoes onto the mayonnaise and sprinkle some salt and pepper on top. That, too, is a delicious, easy snack!

Over to you: Do you usually have a mid-afternoon snack? What are some of your favorite snacks?

Midweek Mix-Up #15: A World War II Novel and Science Books

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I realized today that it’s been a long time since I last had a midweek mix-up and perhaps it’s getting about time for another! (For one thing, my “links to share” folder is getting very full!)

Little Brother

Little brother wading in the creek out front of our place. He loved it!

We’ve been having beautiful weather the past couple days—rain, that is slowly working at bringing our side of the country back to life after the 1 ½-year drought we’ve just had. Perfect weather for reading, although I haven’t read as much as I wanted to—there have been to many other things that I’ve also wanted to get done!

Reading lately:

212—Resist by Emily Ann Putzke

Resist by Emily Ann Putzke
Progress: 40%

Emily sent this to me as an advance reader copy—it will be released next month. I’ve been finding the story fascinating! Even though it is written as a fictitious autobiography, it’s basically a biography of a fascinating man—Hans Scholl—and how he worked against the Nazis through publishing a leaflet. The historical value in this story is high—well researched, and presented in an interesting way. I have come across some words I don’t appreciate (taking God’s name in vain and some swearing), but overall so far I recommend the story. View the trailer here!

New reviews this week:

Corner Booth by Chautona HavigCorner Booth by Chautona Havig
After sharing a booth with a complete stranger at a local cafe, Carlie ends up meeting him for lunch every week—even though he never says a word to her.

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney — Favorite childhood picture book!
Miss Rumphius has fulfilled her dreams of traveling the world, but what can she do to make the world a more beautiful place, as her grandfather told her to do?

Hidden Rainbow by Christmas Carol KauffmanHidden Rainbow by Christmas Carol Kauffman — I really enjoyed this story, just like I’ve enjoyed all the other CCK books I’ve read!
Living in a strongly Catholic village in Serbia in the early 1900s, the Olesh family had a difficult time learning the truth.

Mystery in the Frozen Lands by Martyn Godfrey
13-year-old Peter is with an expedition in the High Arctic, searching for Sir John Franklin’s missing expedition.

248—The House That George Built by Suzanne SladeThe House That George Built by Suzanne Slade
One of George Washington’s jobs, as the first President of the United States, was to design and have built a house for the president to live in.

Exploring Creation With Human Anatomy and Physiology by Jeannie Fulbright and Brooke Ryan — Personally, I’ve grown to really appreciate Apologia’s science. This book (as well as the one below) both sounded like great textbooks when Mom was doing it with the boys! I’ve used two of their highschool science textbooks, and both were excellent.
A God-honoring study of the human body and all its systems, for elementary-age children.

Exploring Creation With Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day by Jeannie K. Fulbright
This is an in-depth study of birds, bats, flying reptiles, and insects, for elementary-age children.

Interesting and encouraging blog posts:

The 4 Types of Productivity Styles (99u) — I’m a mix of the Planner and the Visualizer (I love color!). Lots of really fascinating and helpful tools and programs here, too.

A List of Smells and Tastes (Go Teen Writers) — This is a great list! Lots of wonderfully descriptive words, and there’s a printable PDF, too, if you wish to go that way! I’ll be keeping this link around—it will be very handy!

From the Keurig to the French Press (Kindred Grace) — This is a beautiful, encouraging article. So often, I too find myself busy with not enough time to relax and be thankful for what God has given me. A great reminder of where our priorities should be!

Twitter 101 by Dora Hiers (Seriously Write) — I think I need to read over this post every few weeks, until I really “get” how this whole Twitter thing works. This was very helpful, though!

The Only Habit You Need as a Writer (The Write Practice) — Very encouraging blog post, and very practical. Just sit down and string some words together, it’s that simple. Simplicity is sometimes so needed! This is one of the things I want to keep working on!

Be Brave (Everyday Encouragements) — It’s so easy to be fearful, and so hard to step out in faith sometimes. This beautiful blog post/devotion is very encouraging and thought-provoking.

In God’s Waiting Room by Jodie Wolfe (Seriously Write) — You know the thing I love about Seriously Write? It’s Christian, unapologetically Christian. In this challenging post, Jodie shares how sometimes we do need to wait on God’s timing—but that is no reason to stop improving altogether! I was encouraged and inspired through these simple, yet profound thoughts.

Well, that’s it for this week! I’d do more, but it’s already late and I want to get to bed on time. Have a wonderful rest-of-the-week!

–Esther