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.
The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo! By: Elaine Bickell Illustrated by: Raymond McGrath
Ages: Preschool through Second Grade
We now have a new favorite Halloween story, “The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo!”. Little Ghost can’t find her “Boo” to scare people on Halloween, so she asks some of her friends to help. Nothing seems to work out until the Little Ghost sees the reader of the story. This book becomes interactive for children and they will love it! Please put this one on your list!
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading the story, ask the child to look at the cover and tell you how he/she thinks the little ghost is feeling.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you why Little Ghost was so upset.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you some of the friends that tried to help Little Ghost.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you what it was like to help Little Ghost find her Boo.
Additional Books:
- Little Blue Truck’s Halloween By: Alice Schertle Illustrated by: Jill McElmurry
- The Lonely Little House Ghost By: J.K. Coy and A. Raven Cancio
- The Littlest Ghost By: Clay Sproles Illustrated by: Fabiana Farcas
- The Scariest Book Ever By: Bob Shea
Cooking Time:
Bloody Fruit Salad
This is a delicious fruit salad and the lychees help make it look creepy and perfect for Halloween. Lychees are new to us and would be fun for children to experience. They are an unusual Asian fruit. We found them on Amazon. Children can help by adding the ingredients and mixing.
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 (20 ounce) can lychees in syrup, drained, reserve 2 tablespoons syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes cut in half
1 1/4 cups red raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1/2 cup blueberries
- In a large bowl, whisk together until smooth the raspberry jam, lychee syrup and lime juice.
- Add the lychees, grapes, red raspberries, blackberries and blueberries and toss.
- Refrigerate from 20 minutes to 2 hours, occasionally tossing, so the lychees will turn red.
Makes 6 servings.
Spooky Worms
These sausage worms are easy to make and fun to eat. Children can help by mixing the glaze and cutting the sausages.
2 tablespoons butter, plus an additional 2 teaspoons
12 links fully cooked breakfast sausages (9.6 ounce package)
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- Cut each sausage link, lengthwise into 4 strips.
- Heat two tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Add the sausage pieces to the skillet in a single layer and cook.
- Toss occasionally until lightly browned and beginning to curl, about 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and brown sugar.
- Add the glaze to the skillet with 2 teaspoons of butter.
- Cook and stir until the brown sugar caramelizes on the sausages and a light glaze is formed, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Makes 8 servings.
Chocolate Monster Cookies
These monster cookies are delicious and perfect for a Halloween party. Children can help by adding the ingredients, cracking the egg, cutting the cookies, putting the cookie sandwiches together and adding the eyes.
Cookies:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
Parchment paper
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
- Using a mixer on medium high speed, beat together the butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy (3 to 5 minutes).
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- On low speed, incorporate the flour mixture until just combined.
- Using a spatula, stir in the finely chopped chocolate, making sure the mixture is well combined.
- Place the dough on a large sheet of parchment paper and pack into a firm log, 8 to 9 inches long and 2 inches wide.
- Wrap in the parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the dough log into 1/4 to 1/2 inch rounds and place 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake until the edges are set, but the centers are still soft, about 12 minutes.
- Place on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the pans and return cookies to the racks to continue the cooling process.
Filling:
1 4 ounce bar semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup smooth almond butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Large candy eyeballs
- Combine the chocolate, almond butter and cream in a small saucepan.
- Cook on medium low heat and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and salt.
- Allow to cool.
- Using a mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the chocolate mixture and continue mixing until smooth.
- Refrigerate filling until firm and spreadable, about 1 hour.
Sandwich Cookies:
- Put 2 tablespoons of filling onto a cookie and spread so that the filling is thicker on one side.
- Top with another cookie so it sits at an angle.
- Fill in any gaps with additional filling.
- Add two eyeballs to make the monsters by pressing into the filling.
Makes 14 to 16 cookies.
