Dear Reader,
This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children. Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills. You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story. Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.
*Read to the children in your life every day. You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!
Dream Snow By: Eric Carle
Ages: Toddlers through First Grade
Eric Carle’s Dream Snow is a beautiful addition to your Christmas book collection. In our story, the farmer dreams that he and his animals are covered in a blanket of snow. When he wakes up, there was snow on the ground. He immediately went to work preparing for Christmas as his farm animals watched. Children will love the overlay sheets throughout the book and the button to push at the very end.
Tips for Reading:
- After reading the story, ask the child to recall which farm animal went with each number.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you why they think the farmer fell asleep.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you about the farmer’s dream.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you what the farmer had forgotten to do and why he woke up the animals.
Additional Books by Eric Carle:
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You See?
- The Very Busy Spider
- The Grouchy Ladybug
Cooking Time:
Bacon- Almond Crostini
Wait until you try these! They are now our favorite small bites! These are a delicious appetizer to make for any holiday event. Children can help by adding the ingredients, stirring, and spreading the mixture onto the bread slices.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees to toast the sliced almonds.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees to toast bread.
1/2 loaf French bread baguette, cut into 18 slices
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 green onion, chopped
Dash of salt
Extra toasted almonds, optional
- Place the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Place the sliced bread on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cheese, mayonnaise, almonds, bacon, onion and salt.
- Spread the cheese mixture onto the toasted bread.
- Return to a 400 degree oven and bake until cheese is melted, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Sprinkle additional almonds on top. (optional)
- Serve warm.
Makes 18 appetizers.
Santa Snacks
This is a healthy Christmas snack that is fun to make, display and eat. Children can put these together on their own.
Toothpicks (3 3/4 inches)
Green grapes, large
Bananas, sliced
Strawberries
Miniature marshmallows
- Thread the grape, banana slice, strawberry and marshmallow on the toothpick.
Make as many as you want.
Gabe’s Cocoa Bombs
Our friend Gabe was the first to tell us about Cocoa Bombs and, of course, we had to give them a try. Once you have the mold, they are easy to make and beyond delicious. Your family will love watching the chocolate ball explode as it hits the warm milk. Children can help by adding the chocolate to the mold, filling the mold and decorating.
Will need a cocoa bomb mold. (Ours came from Amazon and makes 6 cocoa bombs.)
2 cups chocolate melting wafers (dark or milk chocolate)
6 tablespoons hot chocolate mix (your favorite)
6 tablespoons miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup white melting chocolate
- Melt chocolate wafers in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and continue microwaving in 15 second increments or until the chocolate is melted. (Do not overheat.)
- Add a spoonful of chocolate into a cavity on the mold. Smooth chocolate up the sides of the mold with a spoon. Add more chocolate if needed making sure to coat the mold up the sides. Continue until all mold cavities are lined with chocolate.
- Place waxed paper on the counter. Turn the molds upside down and allow any excess chocolate to drip out.
- Clean excess chocolate from the top of the molds with a knife.
- Place the molds evenly on a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes or until the chocolate is completely set.
- Gently remove from the molds.
- Put 1 tablespoon of cocoa mix in each of 6 chocolate halves.
- Top the cocoa mix with 1 tablespoon of the marshmallows, about 5 or so.
- Run hot water over a plate to get it warm. Press one of the empty chocolate cups against the warm plate to slightly melt the rim.
- Place the empty chocolate cup over one of the filled ones allowing it to adhere to the lower cup. Work quickly and try not to handle the chocolate too much.
- Continue with the rest of the empty chocolate cups.
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, and continue melting in 15 minute increments, until chocolate is melted. (Do not overheat.)
- Using a spoon, drizzle white chocolate over each cocoa bomb to decorate.
- Return to the refrigerator until set.
- To use, pour hot milk in a mug and add the cocoa bomb. Once the bomb explodes, stir until completely combined.
- Enjoy!
Makes 6 Cocoa Bombs.
