Monday, May 9, 2016

Classroom Craft: Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub Tutorial


"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever." ~ Author Unknown


The precious third-graders Joe and I teach in Bible class love to do creative projects. Last Mother's Day we made these watercolor mugs. That was a great craft, but we completed it in stages over several weeks. This year, I wanted to plan an activity that we could do in one class period. Making a sugar scrub was the perfect solution!






I packed a picnic basket with all the essentials we would need for slipping into the church kitchen to make Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub after our Bible lesson. I was so excited about making this with our kids, I literally dreamed about it all night!


Class Supplies Needed

Aprons
8-ounce Quilted Crystal Jelly Jars
Small mixing bowls
Measuring cups
Tablespoons
Sugar
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Scrapbook paper
2" round scallop-edged paper punch
Glue stick
Ruffle ribbon
Scissors
Spoons




For the sake of time, I punched scalloped circles of scrapbook paper and cut strips of ribbon before class. But I knew the kids would want to do as much of the project as possible, so we set aside time for each student to don an apron, measure and mix the sugar scrub, transfer the mixture to a jelly jar, and finish off the presentation with a ribbon and tag. In our congregation's large kitchen, I set up four stations, which kept the children engaged throughout our "field trip."


Sugar-Scrub Stations

Mix It Up: Having two mixing bowls allowed me to work with the students in pairs. Each donned an apron, and I stood between them as they measured and mixed ingredients. Then they transferred their scrubs to a jelly jar.

Clean It Up: At the sink, Joe then helped the kids rinse their hands and wipe away any sugar or oil that had spilled from the jar.

Dress It Up: Next, the kids used a glue stick to attach a scrapbook tag to the top of the jar. Then they tied a ruffle ribbon around the rim and completed the presentation by tucking a wooden spoon under the ribbon.

Write It Up: On the other end of the counter, we spread out cards, crayons and markers. This allowed the kids to make cards for their mothers before and after visiting the other three stations. Joe said our only boy in the class wrote in bold letters this sentimental greeting: "DO NOT EAT THIS OR YOU WILL DIE." Not quite accurate, but I did tell the kids that this scrub, though edible, would probably not taste good. Keep reading for the simple recipe!






Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)


In a small mixing bowl, stir together sugar, olive oil, and lemon juice. Transfer mixture to an (8-ounce) jelly jar. Keep salt scrub at room temperature. To use, gently rub a spoonful of mixture over hands to exfoliate. Rinse with warm water, and pat skin dry.





I hope the sweet mommies of our beloved third-graders will enjoy their gifts of pampering!


"Mother, the ribbons of your love are woven around my heart." ~ Author Unknown


Sunday, May 8, 2016

Happy Mother's Day!


"The sweetest sounds to mortals given
Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven."
~ William Goldsmith Brown


Wishing you a lovely and blessed Mother's Day!

Monday, May 2, 2016

Cut Footloose with a Country Barbecue


Carson stepped outside his comfort zone recently to two-step his way through Oak Mountain High School's spring musical, Footloose. He had a blast and is already planning to perform on stage again. Much of the production is set in Texas, so before the Saturday night show we invited family to join us for a country-style barbecue inspired by the Lone Star State. Here is a peek at our menu of summertime favorites, along with a couple of delicious recipes from the evening.












I made this Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork for the party. Starting the meat the night before and cooking it on low all day yielded a succulent and flavorful main dish.






Vases of daisies topped a red-and-white checkered tablecloth for our festive gathering.






My blue-and-white Spode transferware took on a country look with burlap place mats and lace-edged linen napkins. I made the napkin rings 20 years ago, so it was fun to pull those out for this occasion.






Votives in jelly jars cast a soft glow on our table.







Texas Caviar

Enjoy this garden-fresh dip with tortilla chips.

1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped green onion
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can corn
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup zesty Italian dressing
Fresh cilantro

In a large bowl, stir together yellow onion, bell pepper, green onion, jalapeno pepper, garlic, tomatoes, corn, black-eyed peas, and coriander. Pour dressing over vegetables, and stir gently to mix. Add fresh cilantro to taste, and stir gently. Refrigerate to chill. Before serving, add more cilantro, if desired.







Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

My talented friend Loren, a chef and test-kitchen professional, shared this delicious recipe with me. One taste, and Christian said, "Mom, we never need to buy bottled ranch again."

1 cup mayonnaise
1 pint cultured nonfat buttermilk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Whisk together mayonnaise and buttermilk. Whisk in chives, parsley, dill, garlic, salt and pepper. Refrigerate to chill.





We invited friends from church who came to the show to join us at home afterward for sundaes. Along with vanilla ice cream, we served chocolate chip cookies, chocolate and caramel syrups, sweetened strawberries, whipped cream, candies, and star-shaped sprinkles.






Well, enough with the opening act and on to the main event!






Carson, third from the left, played Garvin. These guys did a great job singing "Mama Says." When my firstborn delivered the line "Who cares what Mama says?" before the music began, I knew he was a gifted actor. (Smile)  





From first scene to curtain call, the show was a great success. We already can't wait for next year's production!


"Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music." ~Ronald Reagan

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