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!
Mama in the Moon By: Doreen Cronin and Brian Cronin
Ages: Toddler through First Grade
This beautiful and heartwarming book is perfect for a bedtime story. It is the story of Mama and Baby Sloth preparing to sleep high up in a tree by the light of the moon. Poor Baby falls to the ground, and very slowly, Mama makes her way down the tree to retrieve her sweet baby. She uses words of comfort and beauty the entire way down. Please put this book on your read-aloud list.
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading, discuss with the child what a sloth is and some of their traits, including how slowly they move.
- After reading the story, ask the child to recall some of the things that Mama said to reassure Baby.
Additional Books:
- The Dark is Your Friend By: Brittany A. Meng
- Sleepy Sheepy By: Lucy Ruth Cummins Illustrated by: Pete Oswald
- You Are My Happy By: Hoda Kotb Illustrated by: Suzie Mason
- Goodnight Moon By: Margaret Wise Brown Illustrated by: Clement Hurd
Cooking Time:
Since sloths live in tropical climates, all of our recipes will follow that theme.
Fruit Kabobs and Dip
This is a fun way to get children to enjoy fruit. They can select their favorites to add to the kabobs and will really enjoy this healthy dip. Children can help by forming the kabobs and mixing the dip.
Favorite fruits such as pineapple, strawberries, blue berries, kiwi, mango, etc.
Wooden skewers
1 cup creamy vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
Pinch of cinnamon
- Cut the fruit into bite sized pieces.
- Alternate onto the skewers.
- In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, honey and cinnamon.
Make as many as you would like.
Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Bites
This is the perfect combination for an appetizer or a snack. Children can help by rolling the pineapple into the bacon and sugar.
Put aluminum foil in the bottom of a baking sheet. Place a wire rack on top of the aluminum foil.
12 slices bacon
1 can (15 ounces) pineapple chunks
1/4 cup brown sugar
- Cut each slice of bacon in half.
- Drain the pineapple and set on a paper towel to soak up any excess juice.
- Place the brown sugar in a shallow bowl.
- Take a chunk of pineapple and roll a piece of bacon around it. Continue rolling until the pineapple is covered.
- Roll each wrapped pineapple into the brown sugar until coated.
- Place on the baking rack. The end of the bacon should be placed down.
- Place the wrapped bacon and pineapple into a cold oven. Set the temperature at 400 degrees.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Turn the sheet around and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Check, and if the bacon isn’t crispy, bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Can serve these with a toothpick.
Makes 24 bites.
Pineapple Up-Side Down Cake
This is a classic and perfect for this book. Children will love seeing this beautiful cake once it is taken out of the pan. Children can help by measuring, adding ingredients, cracking the egg and arranging the fruit.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Will need a 9 by 2 inch round cake pan.
Cake:
1 1/2 cups cake flour or 1 1/4 cups regular flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening, Crisco
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fruit layer:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 can (15 ounces) sliced pineapple, drained (Can also use chucks.)
Maraschino cherries
- Using a mixer on low speed, combine all of the cake ingredients and mix for 1 minute.
- Beat on high speed for 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Set aside.
- For the fruit layer, place the butter into the cake pan and place in the oven until the butter is melted.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter.
- Arrange the pineapple slices in the pan, cutting in half when needed.
- Place cherries in the holes of the pineapple.
- Pour the batter evenly over the pineapple layer.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and invert onto the serving plate. Allow the pan to stay on the cake for a few minutes before removing.
- Remove pan and serve.
Makes 8 servings.
