We've been studying "Story of the World, Vol 4" and have found that cooking food from the countries we are learning about make it more interesting. We learned that Ethiopia was one of two countries that remained under it's own rule after the
"Scramble for Africa" . So we made Ground Nut Sauce with eggplant. B. thought it was OK, J. didn't like it and I thought it was great. BK said I could make it again. It is also good with squash instead of eggplant.
Basically it is one onion sauteed, two tomatoes diced (or one small can of diced tomatoes) sauteed with the onions. Cut the eggplant into bite sized portions and saute them with the onions and tomato. Take 1/2 cup of peanut butter (preferably one without sugar - the first time I made it I used the blender and made my own with lightly salted peanuts with oil) and 1/4 cup of water. When the eggplant is cooked (about 10 minutes) add the peanut sauce.
Serve over rice. Ours need more salt. I also tried it later over sweet potatoes. It was really yummy of sweet potatoes.
Next we read about the next-to-last
czar of Russia, Alexander III, how his father was working to improve the life of serfs and improve the country. He saw his father assassinated so when he came to power he took away some of the liberties his father had granted. We also read a book
"Russian Girl:Life in an Old Russian Town " that had an easy recipe for Pirog - It was basically a pile of cut up, cored apples. On the side you mix up milk, flour and eggs, then pour it over the apples and bake until the cake is cooked - sort of an apple cake. It was yummy but salt would have helped. It seemed a little like the bisquick "Impossible Pie" idea.
Next adventure was Korean cooking. We learned about the Sino-Japanese war which was fought mostly on Korean soil. King Kojong and
Queen Min were ruling Korea and trying to bring the country to modern-ness in the late 1800's. Queen Min tried to get Russia to help against the Japanese and was assassinated. Above is a squash pancake. The pancake part is flour, milk and egg. The squash part was summer squash (normally it is zucchini) onions and green peppers. By itself it is pretty boring.
But add some dipping sauce (1/2 cup soy sauce and 1 tsp of cider vinegar) and it becomes quite delicious.
The page from the "Cooking the Korean Way" for kids.
J.'s ballet school did a modified version of the Nutcracker this year for the Winter Recital. Aove are the three Ginger Kids M., J. and L.
J. was eiger to have some makeup so I tried RED lip gloss. The night of the show we did a pinker, not so intense lip gloss and a little blush, not that she needs any makeup!
It is hard to get her hair to stay in a bun so one of the other ballet mom's told me the trick of using a hair net - so hear is the results. It worked well!
The side view.
Here is a close-up of M.
The mice and the Mouse King.
The soldiers.
Clara and the Nutcracker (he wore a white shirt at the performance). If Clara looks just like one of the soldiers to you, it is because she is a twin.
We've been studying "Story of the World, Vol 4" and have found that cooking food from the countries we are learning about make it more interesting. We learned that Ethiopia was one of two countries that remained under it's own rule after the "Scramble for Africa" . So we made Ground Nut Sauce with eggplant. B. thought it was OK, J. didn't like it and I thought it was great. BK said I could make it again. It is also good with squash instead of eggplant.
Basically it is one onion sauteed, two tomatoes diced (or one small can of diced tomatoes) sauteed with the onions. Cut the eggplant into bite sized portions and saute them with the onions and tomato. Take 1/2 cup of peanut butter (preferably one without sugar - the first time I made it I used the blender and made my own with lightly salted peanuts with oil) and 1/4 cup of water. When the eggplant is cooked (about 10 minutes) add the peanut sauce.
Serve over rice. Ours need more salt. I also tried it later over sweet potatoes. It was really yummy of sweet potatoes.
Next we read about the next-to-last czar of Russia, Alexander III, how his father was working to improve the life of serfs and improve the country. He saw his father assassinated so when he came to power he took away some of the liberties his father had granted. We also read a book "Russian Girl:Life in an Old Russian Town " that had an easy recipe for Pirog - It was basically a pile of cut up, cored apples. On the side you mix up milk, flour and eggs, then pour it over the apples and bake until the cake is cooked - sort of an apple cake. It was yummy but salt would have helped. It seemed a little like the bisquick "Impossible Pie" idea.
Next adventure was Korean cooking. We learned about the Sino-Japanese war which was fought mostly on Korean soil. King Kojong and Queen Min were ruling Korea and trying to bring the country to modern-ness in the late 1800's. Queen Min tried to get Russia to help against the Japanese and was assassinated. Above is a squash pancake. The pancake part is flour, milk and egg. The squash part was summer squash (normally it is zucchini) onions and green peppers. By itself it is pretty boring.
But add some dipping sauce (1/2 cup soy sauce and 1 tsp of cider vinegar) and it becomes quite delicious.
The page from the "Cooking the Korean Way" for kids.
