Stacey's Favorite Books

Friday, August 28, 2015

Community Collaboration and Art

     I ran across an article on Facebook last night about this cool art collaboration project going on next year in Ames. Community Art Extension Specialist, Jennifer Drinkwater, at ISU is heading a project called Intertwine to bring art into the community and encourage people to engage with each other in the community through art. The article can be found here...http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2015/08/26/drinkwater
Be sure and click on the link to knit-bombing to find out the specifics of the Intertwine project that we can all be a part of in the larger community!! Perhaps, by being part of this project we can continue the art and collaboration in our own hometown community....


Food for thought....


From Our Recipe Box to Yours...

     So, I actually cleaned out a box the other day!! Amazing. I know. It was a box of papers that I had been saving....Needless to say, I was able to get it down to half its original size. Better, but not gone. It's a start.
     Anyway, as I was going through the papers, I ran across a newspaper clipping and wondered why I had saved it. Then, I realized there was a recipe on it that looked amazing!! Here it is from a 2013 issue of AgriNews. Who would have thought??

DECADENT CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

Serves:10

Ingredients:

1 refigerated pie crust, (from 14.1 ounce package)
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 T. milk
4 eggs
3 T. butter, melted
2 tsp. McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1 C. dark corn syrup
1 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. McCormick Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. McCormick Ground Allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. pecan halves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line 9 inch deep dish pie plate with pie crust. Bake 7 minutes. Remove crust from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325F.
2. Meanwhile, microwave chocolate chips and milk in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Pour chocolate evenly over crust.
3. Beat eggs in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Slowly pour mixture over chocolate layer. Place ring of foil around edges of crust to prevent overbrowning.
4. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until filling is puffed and center is still soft enough to move when shaken gently. Cool completely on wire rack.

Pie is the perfect dessert to celebrate any occasion! Like the weekend....

Monday, August 24, 2015

Friday, August 21, 2015

From Our Recipe Box to Yours...

     I don't know if you garden or not. I do. At least, I try. I'm not always so good at the weeding part. I'm a bit of a work in progress. :) This year, my mother in law had a zucchini plant on her porch that someone had given her and she didn't want. I threw it in my garden along with all of the other things I was planting and not weeding. :) Surprisingly, the zucchini grew and now I have no less than 5 zucchini in my refrigerator that I don't know what to do with!! A good problem to have to be sure.
     A patron was visiting with me this morning about a story in the Inside edition of the Waverly Newspapers and I caught a flash of zucchini as he flipped pages. There, was another intriguing zucchini recipe to try!! I think zucchini must be the most versatile vegetable ever!! From stir frys to brownies, you can do anything with it, it seems!!

Here's a recipe from a Waverly local, Betty Bast, for Zucchini Mock Apple Pie (found in last week's paper)

Zucchini Mock Apple Pie
(A good way to use those extra ones)

Ingredients:
6 to 8 zucchini, peeled, remove seeds and slice like apple slices
3/4 C. white sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 T. cornstarch or flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. butter
2 ready pie crusts
1/2 tsp. sugar for top crust

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cook zucchini slices in boiling water until barely tender (about 2 minutes). Drain well. Cool. Remove as much moisture as possible with paper towels. In bowl, toss together zucchini, sugars, spices, cream of tartar, cornstarch and salt. Place one pastry in 9 inch pie plate. Fill with zucchini mixture. Dot with butter. Place top crust on. Brush lightly with water or  milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat, bake at 350 degrees for 45 more minutes.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Reach out and Read

     Reach out and Read (www.reachoutandread.org) is an evidence based non-profit organization that partners with medical providers to promote early literacy. What seems like a simple, daily ritual, reading stories with your babies and preschoolers, has been shown to have a profound effect on success in school and life.
     I read this article in the New York Times...http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/17/bedtime-stories-for-young-brains/?_r=2 that drove this fact home. I know as parents we are always second guessing the choices we make. But, reading to your child is one of those no brainer choices that will impact their lives forever!

   Learn about the Reach Out and Read Organization and find out what you can do to help your child succeed. Stop in to the library today and we'll help you discover new and fun books to share!

Friday, August 14, 2015

From Our Recipe Box to Yours...

     I was digging in my freezer looking for something to cook. It seems that I'm always going to the grocery store and yet, there is never anything to eat! I ran across a bag of chicken thighs and thought, "What in the world do I do with these? " I typically buy chicken breasts and my husband got this the last time he was at the store.  Hmmmm. Well, I was reading the Iowa Girl Eats blog and low and behold, a recipe for chicken thighs! It must be kismet. Looks like something I'll make as soon as we get back from the Iowa State Fair!! Wonder what food I'll try on a stick this year? :)

Here's the recipe for you to try....www.iowagirleats.com

Grilled Honey Chili Lime Chicken Thighs 
serves 3-­4 
Description: Grilled Chili Honey Lime Chicken Thighs are quick, flavorful and so tender ­ one of my favorite grilling recipes!
 Ingredients:
 2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil (or another neutral­tasting oil) 
juice of 2 limes 
2 Tablespoons honey 
1 Tablespoon chili powder 
salt and pepper 
1 ­1/4lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
3/4 cup chicken broth 
Directions:
 1. Whisk together oil, lime juice, honey, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl then pour into a large Ziplock bag. Add chicken thighs then squish to coat and place in the refrigerator to marinate from 1­3 hours. 2. Make sure grill grates are clean then preheat grill on high heat. Remove chicken thighs from bag, shaking off excess marinade. Turn heat down to medium ­high then spray both sides of chicken thighs very well with nonstick spray and grill for 2­3 minutes a side, or until cooked through. 3. Meanwhile, strain marinade through a sieve into to a small pot then add chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil then turn heat down and reduce until thickened and bubbly, 5­7 minutes. Plate chicken then drizzle with sauce. 

She serves this with her coconut rice....

Crock Pot Thai Chicken  (with coconut rice)
serves 4 
Description: Crock Pot Thai Chicken is a 3 ingredient crock pot dish that's as easy as they come! Ingredients: 
1­ 1/2lbs chicken breasts 
1­-14oz can lite coconut milk, divided 
3/4 cup Trader Joe's Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette (or something similar) 
1 Tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable oil 
1 green onion, chopped 
1 garlic clove, chopped 
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme) 
1 cup water 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 cup long grain white rice 
chopped salted peanuts, optional 
Directions:
1. Cut chicken breasts in half then lay in the bottom of a 5.5 ­ 6 quart crock pot. Add 3/4 cup coconut milk and 3/4 cup spicy peanut vinaigrette on top then lift chicken breasts to get liquid underneath. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours, or until very tender. 2. When chicken has 20 minutes left, make Coconut Rice. Heat coconut oil in a medium­sized saucepan over medium heat. Add green onion, garlic, and thyme then saute until tender, 2 minutes. Add remaining coconut milk (1 cup,) water, and salt then bring to a boil. Add rice, place a lid on top, then turn heat down to medium­low and simmer until rice is tender, 15­20 minutes. 3. Scoop rice onto plates then top with chicken and drizzle cooking liquid on top. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired, then serve. 
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Ideas Change Things...

     I saw this article on Facebook today...http://m.globegazette.com/ap/state/article_c208d548-72ab-51c4-b54c-c13e90dad31f.html?mobile_touch=true about a barber in Dubuque and what he is doing for children.

What ideas do you have to help children, yours and your community of children? What do you do? Ideas change things...make yours a good one!

Friday, August 7, 2015

From Our Recipe Box to Yours...

     I was in need of some recipes and inspiration this week which led me to discovering a new website. It's www.sixsistersstuff.com and it's great!

The first recipe I used was for homemade chicken nuggets...which can be found here...http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/08/homemade-chicken-nuggets.html My kids loved them and me what a great cook I was!! A-MAZ-ING!!!


The very next day I needed a quick breakfast so I made blueberry muffins with a cake mix!! That recipe can be found here...http://www.mostlyhomemademom.com/2012/04/crazy-cooking-challenge-cake-mix.html?m=1

(Their website is copyright protected, so head on over there and check it out for yourself!!!)