Michigan – Where Motown Began

May 3, 2013

Michigan was the 26th state admitted to the Union on January 26, 1837.  Its name comes from an adaptation of an Indian word that means “large water” – perhaps because of the Great Lakes bordering this state. 

In 1899, Henry Ford built his first car here.  Other car companies soon started up in Detroit making it a large city.  Henry Ford started the assembly line and soon cars were mass produced.  Detroit is also the birth place of Motown – started by Barry Gordy in 1960′s.  This music company brought the soul music of African Americans to the radio.

 

Capital:  Lansing

Bird:  Robin

FLower:  Apple Blossom

Tree:  White Pine

Nickname:  Wolverine State

 

 

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Little Friendship Book Project for Kids

May 2, 2013

A perfect rainy day or any day project for kids to make.  These sweet little gift books can be made from the scraps of paper you have on hand.  Your kids can personalize them as much or as little as they want by decorating the cover and inside pages with stamps, paint, markers, crayons, glitter or any other art supplies you have on hand.  They can draw special pictures for friends and family.

 

Items Needed:

  • tracing paper,
  • pencil
  • clear tape
  • 5 sheets paper 5.5″ x 8.5″
  • thin cardboard
  • scissors
  • binder clips
  • hole punch
  • ribbon or cord

Directions:

  1. draw a simple shape such as a heart or circle on the tracing paper and cut it out
  2. tape the pattern to the cardboard, outline it and cut it out
  3. fold the 5 sheets of paper in half so the short edges meet – crease well – cut along crease
  4. stack the paper together and clip together with binder clip
  5. tape the cardboard shape to the top of the stack and cut around the chape
  6. clip the paper shapes together with binder clip
  7. mark hole down 1/4″ from the top outer left and right edge and punch holes
  8. take the ribbon and bring up through the holes going from the bottom to the top
  9. take the ends of the ribbon that are on the top and tie a bow – trim ends
  10. decorate the pages and cover as you wish

Your kids can pick a theme to decorate and fill the book or just anything that they like.  Have fun!

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Sweet & Sour Pork Chops Recipe

May 1, 2013

Pork – the other white meat.  I don’t tend to buy a lot of pork because I just run out of ideas of what to make with it.  Here is a simple recipe that your family will love.  Lean boneless pork is a great source of protein and has lots of vitamins.  It is an ideal meat for kids since you don’t need to worry about bones or a lot of fat.  The tender cut is easy for kids to cut too.  How many times do you need to put your fork down during a meal to help your kids cut their meat?

Sweet & Sour Pork Chops

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup sweet & sour sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. Chili Sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
  • 4 boneless pork loin chops
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika

Directions:

  1. preheat your grill
  2. mix sweet & sour sauce, chili sauce and ginger
  3. sprinkle pork chops with garlic powder and paprika
  4. grill pork chops 8-10 minutes, turning once or twice and brushing with sauce mixture during the last 5 minutes
  5. cook until there is no more pink
  6. heat any remaining sauce to serve with pork chops

A delicious and easy meal for your family.  Enjoy!

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Massachusetts – A State Rich with History

April 30, 2013

Massachusetts was the 6th state in the USA on February 6, 1788.  It is in this state that the Pilgrims first landed in Plymouth in 1620 after sailing from England in the Mayflower.    They first stopped in Provincetown for about 5 weeks where the future colonies made the Mayflower Compact.  The 250 word statement declaring that they would “combine ourselves into a Civil Body Politick for our better Ordering and Preservation” was signed by all them men.  They elected William Bedford as their leader and hence this was the start of the American Democracy.

Plmoth Plantation is a living history musem of the Pilgrim Village in 1627.  It was a tough first winter for the Pilgrims and only about half of them survived the cold and hunger.  A Pawtuxet Indian named Squanto helped the survivors through the rest of the winter.  He served as a translator for the new colonists and showed them how to trap, hunt and farm.  Their first harvers was celebrated in the fall of 1621 and that was the first Thanksgiving.

New Bedford was the whaling capital of the world.  The famous novel Moby Dick starts in this town.  They no longer hunt whales, but the tip of Cape Cod is known for whale watching for the tourists.

The Salem witch trials also made history for this state.  Puritans accused men and women of being agents of the devil.  The witch hunts took place in 1692 resulting in 19 hangings before the governor stopped the trials.

Massachusetts is also the home of many famous people – political families Adames, Lodges and Kennedys, children’s author Dr. Seuss, writers Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Capital:  Boston

Bird:  Chickadee

Flower:  Mayflower

Tree:  American Elm

Nickname:  Bay State

 

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Taco Filling – An Easy Crock Pot Recipe

April 29, 2013

                                                         Taco Filling

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 2 – 15 oz. cans chili beans, undrained
  • 15 oz can Mexican corn, undrained
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

  1. brown ground beef and onions
  2. drain and add to crock pot
  3. add the other ingredients and stir well
  4. cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours

You can serve these with tortillas, hard taco shells or make a taco salad.  Garnish with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa.  Have a fiesta!

 

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Strawberry Sugar Cookie Shortcake

April 26, 2013

This dessert looks so pretty with fresh, red-ripe strawberries!  And it tastes just a good as it looks.  This treat will be a hit with all of your family members.

Strawberry Sugar Cookie Shortcake Recipe

Ingredients:

  • roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
  • 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cups whipped topping

Directions:

  1. heat oven to 350
  2. turn two 9″ round pans upside down and cover the bottoms with tin foil
  3. take the foil off, turn the pans over and line the inside with the foil
  4. cut roll of cookie dough in half
  5. press each half in the pans and spread until evenly covering the bottom
  6. sprinkle 1 Tbsp sugar over each pan of dough
  7. bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown
  8. let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes
  9. pull the tin foil out lifting the cookies out and place on rack to cool completely
  10. mix pudding and milk in a bowl – whisk until thick
  11. fold the whipped topping into the pudding
  12. place a cookie layer on a plate, spread half of the pudding, top with half of the strawberries
  13. repeat for another layer

Yummy!

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Bottle Cap Pin Project

April 25, 2013

Ever wondered what you could do with the metal bottle caps form bottles?  Make a pin.  You can make a customized art pin using your favorite pictures and handmade art.  Give as gifts, collect or trade with your friends.  It is a good thing!

Items Needed:

  • metal bottle caps – cleaned
  • magazine or decorative paper
  • scissors
  • white glue
  • pin back

Directions:

  1. use the bottle cap as a template and trace around on a small picture or detail from paper
  2. cut it out
  3. trim if necessary so that it fits nicely inside the cap
  4. add glue to the backside of the picture
  5. place it in the cap and press down
  6. you can add decorations such as glitter, beads, sequins, etc
  7. glue the pin back to the back of the cap
  8. let dry completely before wearing
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Maryland – Home of the Best Crab Cakes!

April 24, 2013

Maryland became the 7th State to enter the Union on April 28, 1788.  It falls below the “Mason-Dixon” line but was considered a border state during the Civil War.  The American flag flies over the grave of Francis Scott Key in Frederick, Maryland 24 hours a day.  He was the composer of “The Star Spangled Banner”.  It is one of the few places in the US that are allowed to fly the flag after sundown.

Anapolis is the capital of the state and served as a temporary capital of our nation from 1783 to 1784 before Washington DC became our capital.  It is also home to the NAval Academy.  It is located on the Cheaspeake Bay and you will see boats called skipjacks.  They were made in the 1800′s for dredging oysters.  It used to be a big business, but now there are fewer than 50 left.  Soft shelled crabs and blue crabs are now a big business of the state.

A famous person from Maryland was Thurgood Marshall.  He was the first African American to serve on the US Supreme Court in 1967.  He was also the winning attorney on the case Brown vs Board of Education in 1954 which integrated black and white kids in public schools.

Capital:  Anapolis

Flower:  Black Eyed Susan

Bird:  Baltimore Oriole

Crab Hooded Towel

Crab Hooded Towel

Get ready for the pool, beach or bath time with these fun hooded towels from Stephen Joseph.  Browse our selection of sand & water toys at http://www.cowandlizard.com/category/sand-water-toys

 

 

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Mint Brownie Sundae – A Treat for Any Occasion!

April 23, 2013

One of my favorite combinations is mint and chocolate – the colors are great and the taste is out of this world.  Here is an easy recipe to make the is either an extra special dessert or a treat for a celebration within the family.  You can also go wild and add any kind of ice cream your family likes – peppermint, vanilla, strawberry – the possibilities are endless.

Mint Brownie Sundae

Ingredients:

  • fudge brownie mix
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 eggs
  • mint chip ice cream – slightly softened
  • chocolate mint candies
  • hot fudge topping

Directions:

  1. heat oven to 350
  2. spray the inside of a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray
  3. add brownie mix, oil, water and eggs to a bowl
  4. mix well
  5. pour batter into pan
  6. bake 28 – 30 minutes
  7. let brownies cool on a wire rack
  8. when cool, scoop put ice cream and spread on top
  9. place in freezer for at least 8 hours
  10. when ready to serve, cut out square pieces and place on a dish
  11. top with fudge topping and a candy

Enjoy!

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Maine – Downeast at its Finest!

April 22, 2013
lobster hand puppet

lobster hand puppet

Maine is the state where I was born and spent most of my childhood.  It is a beautiful and special state.  Everyone should visit Maine sometime to take in the beauty of the Downeast state.

It was the 23rd state to join the Union of March 15, 1820.  It is a large state but not heavily populated.  Lobsters and wild Blueberries come from this wonderful state.  Plenty of good downhill skiing, beautiful coastlines and national parks with lots of wildlife. 

Capital:  Augusta

Bird:  Chickadee

Tree:  White Pine

Animal:  Moose

Flower:  White Pine Cone and Tassel

Berry:  Wild Blueberry

Cat:  Maine Coon Cat

Nickname:  Pine Tree State

 

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