Day 31: A Major League Party

The greeting on the front door

The entrance to the backyard

While the kids arrived, they all autographed (soft)balls for them to take home as favors.

The first thing we did was sing, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," and "Happy Birthday."  Then we indulged in cake!

We started the fun with some pitching practice, the boys lined up and threw water balloons at the catcher targets.  No one got wet, but I kept hearing them say, "This is so much fun!!"

Next was batting practice.  I was going to make a pinata with a paper mache balloon, but thankfully, I found this one at Hobby Lobby.  The boys all lined up.  We blindfolded them and swung the ball.  The each got three strikes at the pinata.  We went through the whole line before it broke and started again without the blindfold.  It wasn't long before it busted.  When the candy fell out, I had them collect it all and put it in a popcorn bucket.  We then distributed it evenly between their favors.

We then walked down the street to the middle school playing field and set up a pick-up game of baseball.  Jack, Jeb and Will wanted it to be the All-Star Game because Jack and Will were Rockies and Jeb was a Cardinal.  So they were the National League.  We played two innings and it was a close game.  We wrapped it up by saying that it was time to walk back for Jack to open his presents.

The boys went home with fun favors including the goodies from the previous post and the autographed baseballs.

Day 22: Baseball party sneak peek

Today we hit the jackpot.  We headed to the Rockies store to see about finding Jack a birthday present.  Well, we were successfull (shh..), but we found lots of other goodies for a good deal too.

All my boys got new Rockies caps for $3 a piece...nice, fitted ballcaps...originally $15.

But I was hoping to find something for the party favors, and I did.  They had these Rockies pennants for 50 cents.  So our party favors should look like this:

Pennant: 50 cents

Popcorn container (from the dollar spot at Target): $1

Trophy: 50 cents

Stickers: 15 cents

And I think Mammy has some soft baseballs for each of the kids to take home as well.

Day 21: Jack's Birthday Party Invitation

Tuesday we got the invitations out for Jack's birthday party.  I printed them on white paper, then cut them in circles (using a bowl to make a circle).  On the back side I drew red stitches.

Come on out to the ballgame
Come on out to the crowd

We’ll celebrate the 7th birthday of Jack

You’ll have so much fun you won’t want to go back

‘Cause it’s root, root, root for the home team

Then it’s cake for everyone who came.

For it’s One, Two, Three Strikes, You’re Out!

At the ole ballgame.

Jack Mathews’ 7th Birthday Party

Saturday, October 16th

3:00-4:30 pm



Day 20: Apple pie

Today I made this apple pie for our small group tonight.  Nothing says fall more than apple pie in the oven.

Day 19: Boo!

Obviously I don't have enough recipes, decor and parties to blog everyday, and I skipped a day and synced up the days with my other blog...so today would technically be Day 18...but this will be easier for me.

We pulled out the Halloween decor today.

Day 12: Gumbo

I have another Gumbo recipe on here somewhere, but tonight I made a recipe from The Square Table, a cookbook from the Yoknapatawpha (yeah, that's right) Arts Council in Oxford, Mississippi, if anything good can come out of there...I guess Stinky Rebels still gotta eat.

I was hoping that the boys would try it for dinner since they quickly remembered that Tiana made gumbo in The Princess and the Frog, but, alas, no luck.

1/3 c of butter
1/3 c of flour
1 1/2 c diced celery
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 16oz can tomato sauce
1 16oz can tomatoes, diced
1 T salt
1 t pepper
1 t dried thyme
3 bay leaves
1/2 c parsley
1 16oz pkg frozen okra
2 lbs peeled shrimp
1 t crushed red pepper
1 T Worcestershire

To make the roux, melt the butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven.  Add the flour.  Cook about 10 minutes or until it turns the color of a penny.  Add the celery, onions and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent.  Add the tomato sauce and the next 6 ingredients.  Simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.  Add the okra and cook about 15 minutes.  Add the shrimp, pepper and Worcestershire and cook for another 10 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves and serve with rice.

Day 11: My new book

I got this book for an early birthday present.  She is one of my favorite columnists.  I can't wait to read it!

Day 10: My most requested recipe

This has got to be my most requested recipe.  Thank you, Ina, for the celebrity.

I made them again today for church.  I made them last week with fresh blueberries.  Maybe next week I'll make them more consistent to Ina's original recipe...with dried cranberries.  Oh, the things you can do with a good scones recipe.

Day 9: Jeb's GI Joe Party

A few weeks ago, Jeb gave the boys in his class an invitation in a manila envelope with the word "Classifed" on the outside that said:
G.I. JOE, HERE IS YOUR TOP SECRET MISSION


(AKA) JEB MATHEWS’ 6TH BIRTHDAY PARTY:
ARRIVE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2010
AT 1500 TO 1630 HOURS
(3:00 TO 4:30)
LOCATION: FORT MATHEWS

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD MEN TO SERVE AND PROTECT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES. PLEASE COME IN YOUR FATIGUES AND BRING BRAVE BODIES AND MINDS.

YOUR FIRST TASK: COLOR UNCLE SAM ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THIS PAPER AND BRING IT TO THE PARTY FOR A PRIZE.


THIS MESSAGE WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN 30 SECONDS.

The party was going to be in the backyard, so I wrote this on the sidewalk in front of the front door:

The flags:

 The entrance to the backyard:

When the boys arrived, they each received a dog tag with their name on it and a helmet.  And we did some cool tattoos.

I went to the Armed Forces Recruiting Office and they gave me this cool poster along with some stickers and bracelets for party favors.  I put the poster on the fort with an American Flag.

While we waited for the kids to arrive, Michael (aka General Hawk) led the boys in "Drill Sergeat Says" (like Simon Says).  Then we went on a march around the front yard.

The first game was an obstacle course.  They stood on a low stool and sat in a swing to swing across the pit of snakes.  They jumped off.  Then they climbed up the rockwall.  Then down the slide.  They they had to army crawl under this bench.

Then they ran through the "tires":

Then they ran to the fence.

After the obstacle course, we threw grenades (cute little water balloons that looked like grenades) at the targets...the boys helped make Cobra targets

And for the final game, the boys each received an "ambulance," a brown paper sack with a red cross, and we headed to the front yard where a huge battle had taken place and poor downed soldiers lay waiting for their medics...an Easter egg type hunt.

Finally it was time for cake.  Jeb chose to have a "battle scene" cake over cupcakes with individual army men.

The party favors included the helmets, tags, tattoos, the "rescued" soldiers, the stickers and bracelets from the recruiting office, little fighter jets, and parachuters...lots of good stuff from the dollar stores.

We had a great time...especially GI Jeb.

Day 8: Throwing a birthday party

Tomorrow is Jeb's big day.  I'm hoping some kids show up.  I've only gotten one RSVP.  That's the problem with the early fall birthday.  We don't know the parents of the kids in Jeb's class yet.  So, we'll see if anyone shows up.

So how do I plan my parties?

1. I keep it simple.  A theme.  A cake.  About 3 games.  And some favors.
2. I use birthdaypartyideas.com.
3. We shop the dollar shops (and so do Mammy and Gamma) for favors and paraphenalia.

I've prepared the favors.  I've made the cake and as soon as it cools I'm going to freeze it so that it will frost better tomorrow.

Tomorrow I need to:
frost the cake
set up the party

and PARTY!

Day 7: Chicken Noodle Soup

There is no way that I'll be only making new recipes over the next year, so I'm going to have to repost some of my favorites. So today I am making Chicken Noodle Soup. Jeb is still sick and it just seems right to make chicken noodle soup even if he is too picky to eat a bite/sip. But usually I don't use homemade chicken stock, I'm a little lazy, but today I am because I don't have store-bought stock and I'm housebound due to my little patient. So I'm adapting Ina's recipe for chicken stock to what I have on hand.



All the yummy goodness before the chicken and water is added for the stock.



1 onion, peeled and quartered

2 stalks celery and leaves, cut in thirds

lots of baby carrots (I know regular carrots would be cheaper, but again, don't have those)--I'm getting rid of the end of the bag with all the odd-shaped carrots that my kids won't eat

3 whole cloves garlic

10 sprigs fresh parsley, from my garden

1 T dried thyme

1 T salt
1/2 T freshly ground pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts...normally I'd like something with a bone, but there's not any in my freezer
3-4 quarts of water

Put in all in the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Remove the chicken and continue simmering for up to 3 hours.  Drain the stock and it is ready for your soup.

Day 6: Sneak peek

Here's a sneak peek of Jeb's birthday party on Saturday:

Day 5: Lemon Cheesecake

This recipe is also from Heart & Soul. It is one of my favorite cheesecake recipes. It has never failed me. The nice thing is that it is very gracious since it involves two toppings to hide any cracks in the cake. My recommendation is to pull the eggs, cheese and lemons out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start the cake. They all to better at room temperature.

2 c cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
(1/2 c finely chopped walnuts)--I don't always use this ingredient
6 T butter, melted
1 c sugar, divided
24 oz cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
2 t lemon zest
1/4 c lemon juice
1 T vanilla
2 c dairy sour cream
Lemon glaze, see below

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, stir together cracker crumbs, walnuts, butter and 2 T of sugar. Press mixture evenly onto bottom and sides of prepared pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Cool.

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and 3/4 c of sugar with an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon zest, juice and 1 t of vanilla until blended. Pour into cooled crust. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

While the cake is baking, in a small bowl, stir together sour cream, 2 T sugar, and 2 t vanilla. Remove cheesecake from oven and gently spread topping over cheesecake. Bake 12 minutes more. Cool on rack for 30 minutes.

Spread Lemon Glaze on cheesecake. Chill several hours before removing sides of pan.

Serves 12-16.

Lemon Glaze
1/2 c sugar
4 t cornstarch
1/4 t salt
1/4 c water
1 t lemon zest
1/3 c lemon juice
1 slightly beaten egg yolk
1 T butter

In a heavy 1-qt saucepan, combine first three ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the water, juice and egg yolk. Add to sugar mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in butter and zest. Pour over cooled crust.

Day 4: Chili

This recipe comes for Heart & Soul. Tonight I'm taking it to a friend's house to share dinner with them, and I also plan to take a batch to someone else who needs a dinner...it's super-easy to share...and freezes well too.

2 lbs ground chuck
1 c chopped onion
3/4 c chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 16oz can diced tomatoes
1 16oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 16oz can tomato sauce
1 10oz can Rotel
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 T chili powder
1 t dried oregano
2 t cumin
1/2 t dried basil
1 1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Brown beef, onion, pepper and garlic in a large Dutch oven. Drain. Add undrained tomatoes, drained kidney beans, tomato sauce, undrained Rotel, jalapeno, and seasonings. Cook over medium 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 hour.

If desired, serve with chopped onion, sour cream, grated cheese, and tortilla chips, corn chips, Saltines, or cornbread.

Day 2: Queso

We have an EX-family member that didn't leave us a lot of good things to remember about him, but he did give us this queso recipe.

1 box of Mexican or Pepperjack Velveeta, cubed
1 stick of butter (I will often only use 1 T)
1 large can of evaporated milk
1 4 oz can of diced green chiles

Melt the first three over low heat. Once melted add the chiles and stir until warm. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and devour while watching college football.

365 Day Challenge

So my friend is doing this challenge of posting everyday for 365 days. I'm already on Day 2 on my home blog. So I thought maybe I'd try it here too. I know I won't have 365 new recipes, but between home, parties, food, etc., maybe I can come up with some new stuff. It's worth a shot.

Day 1: Summer squash and onion soup

Today I tried this recipe. I made a few adjustments....I used some leftover red wine instead of sherry. I used yellow squash and zucchini. I used thyme. And I'm going to use some dilatini pasta instead of angel hair.

It's like a cross between onion soup and minestrone. And a great use of all that squash.