“Get Out the Mad” Cookies Recipe from PBS KIDS

Hey! It's National Cookie Day! 

What a great day. I celebrated early by making chocolate chip cookies last night. Ha!

But let's talk about turning this day into a teachable moment. PBS KIDS has put together a recipe for making "Get Out the Mad" Cookies. Inspired by DANIEL TIGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD, making these cookies helps encourage social-emotional skill development. Baking these cookies with children not only hones math skills, but also encourages conversations around an array of emotions, which helps social-emotional skill development. In order to make the most out of the educational baking activity, start by asking your child what some common feelings are and when last time they remember feeling happy, sad, mad, etc. was. Then, explain that there are things they can do when they’re angry besides shouting or hitting, like pound on clay or dough. Research shows that kids learn the most when the adults in their lives talk to them about what they’re watching and how they’re feeling.

So here are the directions for making some awesome cookies with your little ones!

“Get Out the Mad” Cookies:

Ingredients

• 3 cups oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 1/2 all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• Bowl
• Cookie sheet

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Ask your child to help measure out the ingredients. This is a great opportunity to talk about reading numbers and following directions carefully. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

3. Give your child a manageable chunk of dough. It’s okay for your child to mash it, knead it, and pound it. The longer and harder your child mixes the dough, the better the cookies taste!

4. When the mixing is done, show your child how to roll the dough into balls about the size of ping-pong balls, and place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes.

Free Download: Thanksgiving Family Recipe Cards

Does your family have special dishes (aside from the traditional turkey and stuffing, I mean) that you make to celebrate Thanksgiving? Do you incorporate your family's heritage and culture in those dishes? For example, do you add a special twist such as jalapeños or chipotle to your sweet potatoes? Those are precious traditions that are unique to your family.

Photo by Jeanine Thurston

Over the years, I've posted about super delicious dishes that my Latina friends prepare at Thanksgiving as a way to honor their heritage. Here are some of them:

• Camotes al chipotle
• Pumpkin Spice Flan
• Pumpkin Empanadas (shown above!)
• Butternut Squash Tamales
• Roast Turkey with Port Wine Guava Glaze

Don't they all sound wonderful? The camotes al chipotle is my favorite and I try to make it a few times during the fall.

But you can see a complete list of the recipes here.

While you are planning your menu for Thanksgiving, why not take the opportunity to turn this time into a teachable moment and spend some quality time with your kids? I've created these free Thanksgiving recipe cards (available in English and Spanish) so your child can write down your family's favorite recipes for the holiday. It would make a wonderful family heirloom or even a lovely gift to share with family.

Thank you for being a part of the MommyMaestra family. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Click here to download

----------------

Children's Apron and Bilingual Book Set from MommyMaestra

Christmastime always brings back memories of my childhood. Las Posadas, drinking champurrado, and making tamales are the first things that spring into my mind.

When I was little, I would always help my Buelita make tamales. She made dozens upon dozens to sell, to give away, and to store in the freezer for us. The other day, I asked on the MommyMaestra Facebook page if anyone was going to be participating in a tamalada and if so, would the kids help? It was pretty popular. I enjoyed reading the comments.

Cooking is such a fun activity for kids during the holidays. We've always made the traditional sugar & gingerbread cookies, as well as hot chocolate. But my Buelita has long passed away and my kids have never made tamales. Now that we are back in Texas, I hope I can find somewhere to take them to learn!

He's not making tamales. In this picture, I think he was making miniature pan de muerto!

And then, as if the universe were on the same wavelength, I stumbled upon these children's aprons that my mom and I designed a few years ago for a company we used to run. They were sold as a set with the book, Growing Up with Tamales (aff link) by Gwendolyn Zepeda. My kids already have their own set of aprons (which they've outgrown, but we have as keepsakes), so I thought, "Why not offer them to MommyMaestra readers?"

So if you are interested, then take a look at my online shop. I only have two aprons for boys and eight aprons for girls. Both are available in different colors. I have six copies of the book, too. If you are interested in buying the set or the items individually, you'll find them here. But be sure to order them by the 17th if you want them in time for Christmas. :)

Celebrating Memorial Day with Your Children



photo by pocketwiley

This coming weekend, we will all be celebrating Memorial Day. We are always on the hunt for unique ways to celebrate holidays around here. This week, I'll be sharing some lesson plans, articles, and books to enjoy with your children. But here are a few of the ideas that we are considering putting together for our Memorial Day celebration (the recipes are bien deliciosos!):


Easy Decorations for Your Kids to Make

• Patriotic Papel Picado - A few weeks ago, Sra. López shared on FB this awesome tutorial for a DIY papel picado garland. Why not buy the doilies in patriotic colors and have your kids make a red, blue, and white garland?

• Patriotic Piñata - I can't decide if it is actually unpatriotic to smash away at an American flag piñata, or not! I think we may make one in a different shape, using patriotic colors instead - like this one. We'll be working on this project this week, so I'll post our final product when it is finished! 


Yummy Recipes to Make with Your Kids

• Buffalo Pinwheels - These are super easy! I'm looking forward to trying these, because if they are as good as they look, they just might become a new addition to our regular lunch menu! (Kroger has a bilingual website, Moments of May, which has a great list of other delicious recipes, coupons, and activities for children. Go and take a look!)

• Fabulous Three-Berry Tart/Fabulosa Tarta de Tres Moras - My mouth began instantly salivating the moment we saw this recipe on the Que Rica Vida website. It is at the top of our list. Don't worry, the recipe is available in both Spanish and English!

• Stars and Stripes Forever Dessert Recipe - Oy! This dessert is running a close second. Maybe we can make two? I think the kids would have fun punching out the stars using a cookie cutter. Taste of Home has several other patriotic recipes for you to choose from, too.

• Spanish Pork Burgers - Wow! These look super fantastic!! And after looking at the ingredients, I know this is not like any burger I ever had in Spain before. But the flavors look promising - not to mention the picture!

• Mango, Jicama, and Cucumber Salad - The ladies at Muy Bueno Cookbook have done it again! What a sweet side dish! Talk about a burst of flavor in your mouth. It's like having a party on your tongue! I know my kids will love mixing the ingredients together...and maybe sneaking a few bites while doing so.

• Mango, Watermelon and Coconut-Pineapple Paletas - From my favorite food blog, A Little Cup of Mexican Hot Chocolate. Clementina never fails to deliver mouth-watering recipes that are authentic, but are perfect for celebrating almost any occasion. And the stories that accompany her recipes never fail to entertain and bring back old memories of my own childhood.

Then wash it all down with...

• Agua Fresca: Agua de Piña - Agua frescas come in a variety of flavors. This is not an easy phrase to translate; literally it means "fresh water" but I prefer to translate it as "refreshing waters." They are tasty, light, and easily quench your thirst. They are one of my favorite things about summer...and one of my kids' favorites, too! And this recipe from The Other Side of the Tortilla is unbeatable! Try them yourself, and you will be forever hooked!

What is your menu for this weekend?


Con mucho cariño...

Disclosure:  I am participating in a blogging program from Moments of May Team and Latina Bloggers Connect, and this post makes me eligible to win a compensation.

"No School" Doesn't Mean "No Learning"

We have officially caved in and declared a holiday vacation from homeschool. But just because we are on vacation, doesn't mean that there isn't a little bit of learning still going on! Here are some of our activities that I consider to be enriching learning experiences even though they are not a part of our official curriculum...

Grammar & Spelling

For the past week, my daughter has been writing out her holiday cards. This is her first time to do so. She wanted to do them after she saw me writing out mine. So I picked up a couple packets of festive Mary Engelbreit note cards ($1 at Michaels) and then helped her write out her message on a dry erase board, which she then uses for reference as she writes out her 10 cards. This also has provided me with the opportunity to teach her how to address a letter with both a mailing and return address.


Reading

Earlier this year, we enrolled in Pizza Hut's Book It! reading program. Each month, we set a goal as far as how many books to read, or how many minutes each day, and if my daughter completes the goal, I give her one of the coupons that Pizza Hut sent me, which entitles her to one free personal pan pizza. She did great the first month (goal: she reads 12 books, and I read her 5 harder, longer books), so we made the second month a little harder (she reads 20 books, and I still read her 5). We squeaked by, so this month we kept that same goal. I ordered some new readers from Scholastic, and to ensure her participation, I am having her read one to me every night before bed (because our days have been disjointed and off schedule!). So far, this is working out great. In fact, tonight she redeemed her second pizza, as we decided to have a family night out. She takes great pride in her accomplisment and insists on personally handing the cashier her Book It! certificate/coupon.  


Math

Baking, baking, and more baking! Learning how to measure is never as much fun as when you actually create something edible and yummy. On our list this week: blueberry bread, lemon cake, gingerbread cookies, and my special homemade fudge for gift giving!

We're also planning to work on patterns (recognition and creating) as we assemble some cranberry/popcorn garlands for our little feathered friends, who have been extremely busy at our feeders the last several days during our snowy weather.

Science

Project Feeder Watch is in full swing. The observation table is set up next to the dining room windows, and it includes binoculars, field guide, pencils and data sheet. We've also been conducting a little science experiment by growing lima beans in plastic bags (wet vs. dry vs. cold vs. warm) and then carefully recording the data. I'm thinking we might try some of this with a few of the seeds from our bird feeder and see what kind of results we get.


Arts & Crafts....and Character Building

Some of the other homeschooling parents in the area were receptive to the idea of a gift exchange among the kids. So I assigned each child a number and then used Random.org to draw names. Each child is responsible for giving another child a gift. Our only rules? Each gift must be handmade, using household items or materials that cost $5 or less. The goal is to promote creativity, thoughtfulness, consideration, and a giving heart. I'll post soon about what gifts my children have chosen to create for their friend.


How are you encouraging your children to learn during the holiday break?


Con mucho cariño...

Using Cooking to Supplement Your Lessons

There are so many ways to supplement your lessons, but one of the best is cooking. Something magical happens the moment that two sets of hands - one big, one little - begin to work together to create a yummy dish. It certainly is one of my children's favorite activities!

I'm sure many of you already get a little help from your kids en la cocina, but have you ever thought about the number of benefits that result from this interaction? Or about how you can use cooking to reinforce concepts? Take a look at some of the benefits and ways to incorporate cooking in your curriculum...

It is Versatile

Cooking can complement almost any subject. Here are just a few examples:

• Math: Following a simple recipe can teach fractions, volume, and measurements.

• Health: Taking the time to create wholesome meals gives you an opportunity to talk about healthy diets, the food pyramid, nutrition, and the body.

• Science:  Use simple ingredients in your pantry or cupboard to teach about chemical reactions, primary colors, texture, etc.

• Reading: Practice reading skills while reading recipes, ingredients, labels, and more.

• Music: Small children can use kitchen items to "experiment" and explore sound. Older children can use containers filled with liquid to learn about pitch. Use songs to inspire cooking then discuss why the songwriter may have written about that particular dish (think Arroz con leche, I'm a Little Teapot, Naranja Dulce, The Muffin Man, etc.)

• History: Make dishes that were popular during a specific time in history. For example, Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to create and discuss dishes that early settlers may have used.

• Geography: Look up and make dishes that are popular in other countries (i.e., fish 'n chips for England, crepes for France, paella for Spain, arepas for Venezuela, etc.) Be sure to find the country on a map or globe! You might even consider making a "Cuisine Passport" which includes the recipe, photos, and country of origin.

• Social Studies: Take your geography lesson one step further by exploring the cultures and traditions of the people who typically eat a particular dish. Include information about how the native people dress, what language they speak, special holidays (how about a Pan de Muerto recipe to celebrate Día de los Muertos?) and other important facts in your "Cuisine Passport".


It Builds Character

Cooking with your child instills confidence. By teaching your child to cook, you are helping to develop his or her Life Skills. You are giving them the gift of independence and, yes, creativity. Encourage your child to be adventurous by trying out new recipes.

Cooking can also foster self-sufficience. Next time your child runs out of play-doh, try making your own using this recipe. ¿Qué? Your bottle of glue just dried up? Try this simple homemade paste recipe that uses flour and water.



It is Special

Cooking with your child is a bonding experience. For ages, familias and friends have shared stories, secrets, and so much more over a wooden table or a bubbling pot. With out a doubt, some of my best memories of my great grandmother are of our time together in her kitchen. And making tamales, tortillas, or even cookies, are often a family affair, special moments in the hearts of Latinos across the nation. So next time you decide to whip something up in the kitchen, be sure to invite your child to participate. You'll be amazed at the joy the sound of little hands going pat-pat-pat will create in you both.


For some simple (and kid-friendly) recipes, check out these sites:

• Agua Fresca: Agua de Tuna Roja :: The Other Side of the Tortilla

• Sandía Paletas :: Culture Mami

• From Abuelita's Kitchen: Flan de Queso :: Spanglish Baby

• Cooking for Kids :: Earth's Kids 

• Age Appropriate Kids Cooking Lessons :: Kids Cooking Activities

Children's books:

• Freaky Foods From Around The World / Platillos Sorprendentes de Todo el Mundo by Ramona Moreno Winner

• The Handstand Kids Mexican Cookbook by Yvette Garfield, Cricket Azima

• A Kid’s Guide to Latino History by Valerie Petrillo

• The Kids' Multicultural Cookbook (Kids Can!) by Deanna F. Cook


Favorite Latino Cooking Blogs:

• The Other Side of the Tortilla

• A Little Cup of Mexican Hot Chocolate

• From Argentina with Love

• My Big Fat Cuban Family

• Eric Rivera's Cooking Blog


Con mucho cariño...