Fun with Flubber

The Grand kids and I had a fun time making this amazing batch of flubber and we even had more fun playing with it. I was amazed that all that food coloring did not stain a thing! The kids played with it for hours, returned it to their air tight containers and got it out again for hours!

I got the recipe from my on line blogging friend Sandra....she is half my age and has taught me more than I could have possibly taught her! If you haven't stopped by her blog spot you need to ;) http://familycorner.blogspot.com/

Here is what I did:

Bowl #1

8 oz bottle of Elmer's glue

8 oz warm water

mix together until smooth

Bowl #2

8 oz warm water

1 1/2 teaspoons borax powder

mix until dissolved

Now slowly stir the borax solution into the glue solution....and stir, stir, stir....

really stir, stir, stir until all the water is mixed into the glue. I used a wooden spoon to do the stirring.

There you go.....flubber! It retains it shape when you put it back into any container and flops and pops...and even Farts! Oh what fun!

This should store well for about 2 to 3 weeks in an airtight container. It is harmful if eaten, so warn the kiddos over and over again about washing their hands after playing with the wonderful stuff. AND DON'T PUT IT DOWN YOUR DRAINS.....

Wordless Wednesday - Magnolia

Easter Egg Bread

I know I should have way shared this before Easter Sunday....sorry!

....Practically every family in Italy has a variation of this recipe, traditionally baked shortly before the holiday to break the Lenten fast. Be forewarned it is not a quick process....but oh such a delight when it comes out of the oven. As always eating good food, sharing the beginning of Spring with our family and friends and welcoming the warmth of longer days is the best way I can think of to celebrate the end of another cold dark winter - The Italian Way!

Ingredients:

2 packages active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup all-purpose flower

1/3 cup water

3/4 cup butter

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, well beaten

3 3/4 to 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour

6 colored eggs (uncooked)

1. Soften yeast n the warm water in a bowl, mix in 1 cup flour, then the 1/3 cup water. Beat until smooth. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled. (about 1 hour).

2. Cream butter with lemon peel and juice. Add beaten eggs in halves, beating thoroughly after each addition.

3. Add yeast mixture and beat until blended. Add about half of the remaining flour and beat thoroughly. Beat in enough flour to make a soft dough.

4. Knead on floured surface until smooth. Put into a greased deep bowl; turn dough to bring greased surface to top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled.

5. punch down dough; divide into thirds. Cover; let rest about 10 minutes.

6. With hands, roll and stretch each piece into a roll about 26 inches long and 3/4 inch thick. Loosely braid rolls together. On a lightly greased baking sheet or jelly-roll pan shape into a ring, pressing ends together. At even intervals, gently spread dough apart and tuck in a colored egg. Cover; let rise again until doubled.

7. Bake at 375 degrees about 30 - 35 minutes. During baking check bread for browning, and when sufficiently browned, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

8. Transfer bread to a wire rack. If desired, spread a confectioners' sugar icing over top of warm bread.

Makes 1 large wreath....you could also make 6 individual rings.

Strolling Through the Yard

I took to a little... very little.... strolling around my backyard Easter morning, of course camera in hand. I know the new header is way to large....but I'm kinda likin' the picture so I left it.

Our yard is very small and uncomplicated, you see DH is not a horticulture lover. I'm sure it goes way back for him, he paid his brothers and sisters to do his share of the yard work! Now we have a gardener, kinda....and that's all you need to know about "the gardener".

Enjoy today's sunshine because tomorrow Utah is going to change her mind. Maybe it's April always trying to "fool" us.... ugh! One day she calls us outdoors to run and play in the beautiful sunshine and the next she shows off her temper and drenches us with her rain. Keep your umbrella handy!

I have a busy week ahead...another root canal today, spring cleaning because house guests are coming in a week, and I'm off to stay with the energetic...(not ADD) Grandkids for a few days while their mom gets a vacation.

April is always a good month for posting because I'm off track and down to 9 more Mondays before the beginning of a whole new era in my life......the R word!

Happy Easter

Tomorrow is Easter and as a child I always loved it. I grew up with a huge backyard....best in the neighborhood....and every Easter I would gather eggs that had been hidden in the flower beds, trees, and bushes. I loved the hours we spent coloring the eggs, remember those wax crayon we used to use to write on the uncolored eggs and like magic the words appeared after the eggs were colored. When all the eggs were collected in my little basket, I'm sure we had a scrumptious Easter Dinner.

Of course the tradition of coloring eggs carried on with my own children, but cupcake decorating was added. The pictures above are from 1983 with Lynette's kids....aren't they innocent and adorable!

Enjoy the day! On Tasty Tuesday I'll share my grandma's recipe for Easter Egg Bread.

More than Easter bunnies,

And chocolate eggs galore,

Is the cross of Calvary

The sacrifice of our Lord

For Jesus is the reason,

We all can celebrate.

And come to Him to freely,

receive His love and saving Grace.

By M.S.Lowndes

Need I Say More....Nancy is Amazing!

Tami, Nancy, Me, Marlene and Jackie

Last Saturday I dropped in on my BFF Nancy. She is an on the go girl and I haven’t seen her since her birthday in March. Thus her present has been hanging out at my house since then. I knew she was going to be home Saturday because she had planned a luncheon for her sisters. Of course, I’m not a sister, but I knew there wouldn’t be a problem if I just happened to drop by. Actually I waited until almost 1:00 because I thought lunch would be over by then…..lucky for me it wasn’t!

I don’t need to tell those of you who know her….Nancy is amazing. She can brighten up any room she walks into with her vivacious smile. She can also cook the pants off of anybody! Saturday she served Café Rio Pork and fluff salad.

She does all this while living with a huge challenge with food…she has celiac disease. Because of this she must read every label of every product she ever buys. This has not stopped her from cooking all those yummy cookies that we all love, or making fabulous tasty wedding cakes. I know it is because she has taken the diagnosis of having to live gluten free and seen it as a gift rather than a curse.

She has taken the challenge to live healthier, bigger, (not like fatter, but like BIGGER) and brighter....the way she does every day with her family: in good health and passionately in love, up to her elbows, cooking up something spectacular! You are Amazing Nancy....of Fancy Nancy to those of us who know and love you.

Decorative Platter

Some of my earliest “girlhood”…memories are of my dad coming home with a creel full of trout. Fresh trout has a very distinct smell and into our kitchen sink went the fish after each day on the river. Mom never took to the smell or fishing, but I loved it….not the smell but the adventure we had just trying to catch those smelly, slimy, tasty fish.

Dad loved to fish the stream…I was never allowed to go with him on the stream…just too dangerous! And we never worried about Dad coming in before dark! Mom never said a word about how many hours Dad was on the stream…at least not to me!

When I was allowed to go it was Strawberry Reservoir. I loved sitting in the boat with my cousins Dennis and Randy, Dad, and Uncle Wayne. What a deal for me…never had to bait a hook in my life. We had a can full of worms, I think one of my cousins wrote on the side of it, “These Worms are Guaranteed to Catch Fish or DIE TRYINIG”. I thought it was pretty funny… probably a pretty old joke even back then!

So this brings me to my post for today….I cook fish….my family loves fish! Hardly ever have a fresh trout these days…Dad doesn’t take to the stream at all…and we’re okay with him just telling us about those trips now!

Anyway ~ Salmon is our fish of choice…Jason smokes it, I cook it on cedar planks! Either way it is fabulous!

This weekend I went on a fishing trip...to the store..... for a platter to serve our fish dinners on! Found one… Hobby Lobby! When we checked out the clerk said, “What are you going to do with this?” I said….”Serve Fish”! She quickly informed me it was for decorative purposes only and not to be used for food! Said so on the back of the plate… Ahem…Don’t tell anybody I’m using it to serve fish then…sometime…not very often…I don’t follow rules! So dinner tonight was………drum roll…………Cedar Plank Salmon on a decorative only platter! Take a look!

After the salmon was all gobbled.. gulped...up, we dished up some strawberry shortcakes.

Thanks for stopping by. Wish you could have been here for dinner and dessert!