Big Hero 6 Dinner and a Movie

Dinner and  Movie this week fell on Sunday instead of Saturday, thanks to a camping trip this past weekend (no technology allowed on camping trips!)  We watched Big Hero 6, one of the Frog family’s favorites!  Because, let’s face it, camping is a lot of work, I kept it simple.  Classic hero subs with a homemade oil and vinegar dressing and “healthcare chips”  – some chips that the froglets picked out during our shopping trip.  Instead of popcorn, I made Baymax Chex mix (recipe at the end of the post) and the kids used marshmallows to create their own Baymaxes.    

To make your own Marshamllow Baymax you will need:

Extra Large Marshmallows

Small Marshmallows

Toothpicks

Creativity

The skill set ranged mightily at my house, but this edible craft was a hit with all of them!  

The Boy could hardly wait to chomp into his.

Lizard Breath used scissors and some serious skills to make her Baymax.  Before it was all said and done, she melted chocolate to add the face.  Unfortunately, she didnt take a picture of that part, but rather, a video….

Big Hero 6 Chex Mix

INGREDIENTS:

1 box rice or corn Chex

1 bag of white chocolate chips

2 c. powdered sugar

2 c. red cake mix (Pillsbury created a line of cake mix with bright colors and we were able to find red)

red sixlets or other other red chocolate candy

INSTRUCTIONS:

Divide Chex cereal equally between two bowls.  In one large ziploc bag, add the powdered suage.  In another add the cake mix.  Melt chocolate chips over low heat until completely melted.  Pour one half of the melted chocolate into each bowl and mix to coat evenly.  Pour one bowl into the bag containing the powdered sugar and shakle to coat.  Repeat with remaining bowl and cake mix.  Shake excess powder off both the red and white cereal.  Combine into a large bowl and add the red sixlets. Enjoy!

June Meal Planning Update

I know, I know, it is the end of June.  I completely forgot to come back and upload the rest of the June Menu goodies.   With apologies- here you are.  🙂

June Meal Planning Recipes 2015

June Meal Planning Menu 2015

June Meal Planning Cover 2015

Princess and the Frog- Dinner and a Movie

Princess and the Frog Movie Night was a HUGE success.  We had Mufaletta, Cripsy Frog Legs (Chicken fried potato wedges), Voodoo Punch and Spicy Caramel Corn.

The gorgeous olive mixture that fills the mufaletta.

Ray Bear Made some voodoo top hat centerpieces.  We also played Pin the Kiss on the Frog.

A big mound of sweet and spicy caramel corn- Yes Please!

Delicious!!

To make your own Voodoo Punch:

VOODOO PUNCH:

Ice

coconut extract

grenadine

half and half

cream soda colored blue

Fill a glass with ice.  Add 1/4 t. coconut extract, a splash of the grenadine and a shot of cream soda.  Fill the glass the rest of the way with the cream soda.  For best visual effect, do not mix.

Download your own Princess and the Frog flyer here:

The Princess and the Frog

May Meal Planning Part 4 – In Which Mama Frog Unveils the Shopping Lists

It has been the world’s longest day here today- if you want to get technical about it, is has been the longest week ever.  However, May’s lists are finally done.  I am shopping this Sunday.  Are you?

Print your shoppings lists below:

May Meal Planning LISTS 2015

May Meal Planning (Part 3)- Or Mama Frog Shares Some Downloadable Printables

I will have the shopping lists posted tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure you could get a head start printing and planning for May!  Here are some sample.  I included a cover page so you can tape it to a 3 ring binder if you choose, or slide it in the little clear pocket thing in the front.  I would love to know what you think!  Shopping lists are coming tomorrow.  🙂

DOWNLOAD YOURS HERE:

May Meal Planning Cover 2015

May Meal Planning Menu 2015

May Meal Planning Recipes 2015

Elves Strike and Santa Does Christmas

December is half over!  How is that possible?  We celebrated what would have been ERs 10th birthday on the 9th.  Forgive my absence as this time of year is sucky and hard and I hate to spend the entire month telling those same story over and over.  However, I have been keeping busy between orders and the remake of the 12 Days of Christmas recipe booklet I made for Kid’s gifts.  It is free to download.

 

 

Download your copy for free here:   CHRISTMAS

 

Merry Christmas!

Making Dem Bones….Breadsticks That Is

Making dinner tonight with my Tiny Tadpole helper.  I am making Italian Wedding Soup for my Frogs to enjoy, and what better spooky bread than bones.  How do you keep a one year Froglet happy and out of trouble while you are cooking dinner?  Lots of different ways.  Some nights we baby wear.

Other times one of the Big Froglets lends a hand.

But tonight I let him help.  Because really what is bread dough but play dough you can eat?

 He munched and squished while I made bones.  That’s how we do things on the Pond.  

  I have the best breadstick recipe that I found via Pinterest.  But I have to admit, that knotting the ends so they look like bones makes them taste the best.

 

Skeleton Cookies- Or How We Keep It Real On The Pond

Okay, so I have a confession.  I really want to be THAT Mama Frog.  You know the one who makes awesome decorated things and is uber crafty.  Don’t get me wrong, I can cook and I can crochet, but when it comes to things like cake and cookie decorating…..well…..let’s just say that you will never see fabulously decorated creations coming out of my kitchen.  On one hand that bums me out.  But on the other hand, it opens up a door for the Froglets.  Because, when it comes to decorating cookies, I am willing to let them have the fun without trying to take the reins and make them look schmancy.  We made sugar cookies with a gingerbread cutter and frosted them white, then used candy bones and toothpicks and food coloring to attempt to turn them into skeletons.  They might not be as fabulously cute as the ones I took inspiration from, but they were tasty and Scoot had a blast decorating them.   (It also might or might not have taken all my will-power to keep the bones on the cookies G-Rated.)  But I did…..

Poison Apples- A Treat for the Froglets

It’s been a busy couple of weeks here on The Pond.  I have been busy making monster feet slippers and ghost fingerpuppets for Tiny Tadpole.  But today, Papa Frog is back to work and fall is in the air!  When we went grocery shopping in the city this weekend, I picked up some gorgeous locally grown apples and wanted to make poisoned candy apples and caramel apples before the Froglets got into them.  For those who don’t know, poisoned candy apples are not poisoned apples at all, but are hard candy apples that are colored to look like something a out of a Halloween fable.  I wanted to make black ones, but alas, someone had gotten into my gel coloring.  I did however manage to find my white food coloring (which adds a nice color) and I used green and yellow.  They turned out quite lovely.  They are even bubbly and poisonous looking.  I will just have to keep the Froglets out of them until after Papa Frog gets home.

 

POISONED APPLES

 

Prep time:                5 mins

Cook time:               20 mins

Total time:              25 mins

Recipe type: Sweets, Candy, Halloween

Serves: 6-12 apples

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cups water
• ½ cup liquid glucose/light corn syrup
• few drops food coloring (or mix your own colors)
• 6 -7 apples

Instructions

1. Grease a piece of baking paper and place on a tray/baking sheet.
2. Insert popcicle sticks in all the apples and set aside.
3. In a medium pot, combine the sugar, water, glucose/corn syrup and food colouring and stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture feels smooth when you rub it between your fingers.
4. When the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat up and wash the sides of the pot down with a pastry brush dipped into clean water to prevent crystals from forming.
5. Allow the candy to boil until it reaches the hard crack stage (150°c/310°F).
6. Carefully dip the apples into the hot candy mixture and place on the baking paper to set and cool before eating.

 

 

WARNING: THESE ARE HARD CANDY APPLES.  THEY ARE NOT SOFT CARAMEL OR SOFT TOFFEE.  The coating is meant to be licked and crunched.  Not for little ones.

 

Tiny Tadpole thinks he is quite big enough for a candy apple thank you!  (But he is not)

A Gryphon Lands on the Pond

Yep, it’s that time again.  Time to show off another yarn project that I am particularly pleased with.  This gryphon was from a pattern I purchased several years ago, but never got around to making (seriously I have a pattern problem!).  A friend asked if I could make a gryphon for her son.  I think she was mildly surprised when I said yes with no hesitation.  You know how this Mama Frog rolls- I will try to make anything, but I have been so busy lately that having an already established pattern was a serious bonus!!  I doubled up on the yarn, and along with the double crochet stitches this created a feathered appearance that he would not have had otherwise.  I have also gotten into hand painting my own eyes, and these turned out quite lovely.  So, for your Monday morning, I give to you the newest visitor to The Pond.